


Mint Ice Cream & Bubblegum Kisses

by Itskateak



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Anxiety, Awkward Conversations, Because of Reasons, Bisexual Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Nightmares, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Bucky Barnes Has Panic Attacks, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Childishness, Coming Out, Domestic Fluff, Drinking, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Panic, He has ChARACTER, Idiots in Love, If I missed anything, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Peter Parker and the daughter play parent trap, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Slow Burn, Sort Of, Tags will be updated as things change, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, he isn't TWO DIMENSIONAL, it's minor i promise, please let me know, they're good friends actually, unwanted romantic advances
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28239705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itskateak/pseuds/Itskateak
Summary: Y/N L/N works as an intel specialist at the Avenger’s Compound. He scans chatter on the international - and intergalactic - level for any information that might be helpful to the Avengers and other agents. But he’s also a single father to a beautiful eight-year-old girl: Angelica L/N. It’s tough raising a little girl on his own and working a full-time job, but he’s managing. A promotion has him launched up in rank at the Compound, leading him to work directly with the Avengers team. The only problem is it’s a 24/7 job. Life around the compound gets a little strange when his daughter is added to the mix of enhanced humans and ex-assassins.(Bucky Barnes x Single Dad!Reader - Reader is AMAB)Cross posted from TumblrDO NOT REPOST OR DO ANYTHING TRANSFORMATIVE TO THIS WORK WITHOUT MY PERMISSION
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

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Y/N L/N sipped the warm drink in his mug, trying to wake up a little. Early mornings still weren’t his thing despite years of waking up to go to work. He was always up at least an hour before he really needed to be just for that little time by himself.

He showered and sifted through random notifications on his phone in that time, enjoying the peace and quiet of the morning. As much as he could since he hated early mornings. Now, though, he was standing in the kitchen with his hands wrapped around a steaming mug and staring into blank space.

The hour was nearly up and Y/N was alerted to that fact when light feet came dashing down the stairs and into the kitchen. He looked up and smiled.

“G’morning, Papa!” Angelica, his eight-year-old daughter, greeted in a volume entirely too loud for the hour. “Sorry.” She giggled, noticing her father’s wince.

“Morning, Angel. How’d you sleep?” Y/N asked, setting his mug down. He picked her up under the arms and set her down on the barstool at the counter.

“Good! I had a dream about unicorns.” Angelica yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “What about you, Papa?”

“Eh, had a bit of trouble getting to sleep last night. But I had a weird dream about this monster coming out from my closet to tickle my feet!” Y/N dug his fingers into Angelica’s sides and she squealed.

“Papaaaa! Stoooop!” She screamed through laughter. “Pleaaaaase!”

Y/N stopped his torment and wrapped his daughter in a hug, kissing the top of her head as she caught her breath. “You want waffles this morning?”

“Mhmm! Please!”

Y/N pulled open the freezer and grabbed the box of toaster waffles. He held up one finger, then two, silently asking Angelica how many she wanted. He removed two from the package and popped them in the toaster, pushing the lever down.

“So, what’s happening at school today?” Y/N found a paper plate and searched for the syrup in the fridge.

“Dunno. More reading. More math.” Angelica shrugged. “Boring stuff.”

“Ew. Math.” He wrinkled his nose up, causing the girl to giggle. “Is today a library day?”

“I think so. But they never have the books I want.” Angelica sighed dramatically.

“Okay, okay. I’ll take you to the public library when I get home. But find at least _one_ book from the school’s library that you find interesting,” Y/N jumped slightly when the toaster went off, signaling the waffles were done. He plated them, smeared a healthy amount of butter on the top, and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. He poured a more than necessary amount of syrup on top.

“Do you have any ideas?” Angelica asked, eyes lighting up as he slid the plate in front of her.

“I might. What’re you looking for? Romance?”

“Ew!”

“Oh, hush. What’s the big thing you want to read about?” Y/N poured a glass of orange juice and leaned against the countertop again as his daughter pretty much inhaled the waffles.

“Mermaids! Fairies!” Angelica said around a mouthful.

“Hey, what’d I say about talking with your mouth full?” Y/N gently chastised. His daughter gave him a sheepish and apologetic look. “Thank you. Okay, mermaids and fairies. Let me think.”

“And not those short books about the magic fairies for the really specific things. I’ve read all the ones in the library.” Angelica took a sip of her juice. “They’re kinda the same thing over and over again.”

“Well, there goes one of my suggestions. What about the Emily Windsnap series?” Y/N glanced at the time. They were on track, thankfully. Neither of them would be late to their obligations.

“Whassat?” Angelica asked, head tilting. Her bed-head always looked adorable paired with her Disney pajamas and sleepy eyes.

“Emily Windsnap finds out she’s half-mermaid and goes on a bunch of adventures and also tries to figure out who her dad is. There’s like…ten books now?” Y/N reached for a pen and pad of paper, knowing he’d never remember all the books they discuss.

“Ooh, I like that!” Angelica pushed her plate away with a grin. He wrote down the title with a nod. “What else?”

“There’s a series called The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids but every book is a different paranormal or supernatural creature. There’s a mermaid one, if I remember correctly, that you could read and then choose to read the rest if you like them.”

“Hmm, I’ll think about it.” Angelica grinned widely. “What else ya got?”

“Kiddo, I’m wracking my brain here. How do you feel about classics?”

“Hit me.”

“A Little Princess was a wonderful book. I think I still have a copy somewhere around here. I could read it to you before bed.” Y/N marked down the previous series.

“Okay! Anything else?” His daughter gulped down the rest of her juice.

“Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes? It’s a Japanese folk story.”

“Add it! I’m interested.”

For ten minutes, Y/N shot out as many book titles as he could, trying to come up with things his daughter might like. The list, in the end, read: The Princess Bride (to be read as a bedtime story), the Waterfire Saga, Heart of a Samurai, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Jeremy Thatcher (Dragon Catcher), Dancing at the Odinochka, Key to Rondo, and Turtle in Paradise.

“Okay, kiddo. Up you get. Go get dress then I’ll do your hair. We have to leave in twenty, so chop-chop.” Y/N cleaned up the mess that breakfast had created.

“Wait!!” Angelica waved her father over frantically.

“What?” He asked, confused. She pulled him closer by the hand and adjusted his tie until it was straight. “Thanks, Angel. Now go get yourself dressed.”

Angelica bounced to her feet and dashed back upstairs with a newfound excitement for the day. Ah, if only Y/N had the energy anymore. He yawned and downed the rest of his now lukewarm drink.

Twenty minutes to get them both out the door. How hard could that be?

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Y/N smiled at the receptionist when he entered the Avengers Compound. He pulled his ID card from his pocket, fumbling slightly as he almost dropped it. Mondays really weren’t kind to him anyway, but today was just specifically screwing him over.

He swiped the card for the elevator, switching his travel mug to his other hand. His bag was sliding down his shoulder so he hooked his thumb under the strap to keep it up. The elevator was taking some time, but he was fine with that. At least this building wasn’t fifty stories like his last office job. It was only five, but the ceilings were really high.

“Good morning, Y/N.” Keira Roberts, another intel specialist, greeted softly. “How are you?”

“Good morning, Keira. I’m okay. Little tired. How are you?” He asked as the elevator dinged to signal its arrival. They stepped in and she hit their floor number.

“I have a meeting in an hour with Captain Rogers, Sergeant Barnes, and Agent Romanoff.” Keira sighed.

“Yikes. Good luck.” Y/N knew how nerve-wracking it could be when meeting with anyone of the Avengers team.

“How’s Angelica?” Keira shifted the strap of her purse.

“She’s great. Having fun at school, despite what she says about it being boring. Making friends, getting good test scores.” He said.

“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised that she’s such a genius little girl. I mean, she has a very intelligent father,” Keira flashed him a charming smile.

“Ah…thank you.” Y/N flushed slightly, turning to look at the floor number they were on.

“Oh, here. Can I fix your tie? It’s a little crooked.” Keira set her bag down and gestured to his tie. He turned to face her and she straightened it carefully, her hands lingering against his shirt a touch longer than needed. “There we go.”

“Thank you. Angelica tried to fix it before we left home.” Y/N took a step back as the elevator doors opened. She smiled and nodded, taking her bag back up. He gestured for her to go forward and she thanked him softly.

Y/N split off toward his cubicle, not ready for another long day of staring at the computer screen and reading things that barely made sense. He sank into his seat, plopping his bag down on the floor by his desk. He’d take care of that in a minute. His computer took a minute to boot up and when it did, he was greeted with an image of his daughter smiling.

His break was in two hours away and he already regretted getting up this morning. Mondays, dammit.

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Y/N groaned as his phone rang for the third time in the last half hour. With a deep breath, he picked up. “Intel Services, Y/N L/N. How may I help you?”

“Hi, this is Grace Stevens from Accounting. I was told you would be the man to help me. Can you recover deleted email transcripts?” The request piqued his interest. Accounting didn’t call Intel often, if at all. Something was up.

“Regarding what?’ He asked.

“I’m investigating the possibility that one of our own has been embezzling funds. We know that for a fact, but we’re unsure if there’s an accomplice. All email records have been wiped from the servers of what we could find. I heard you were the best of the best down there and I just wanted to see if you would give it a shot.” Grace was speaking in hushed tones.

“I can take a look at it but I can’t promise anything. I can write an algorithm to monitor correspondence to download future emails onto a backup server so that even if they’re wiped, we still have them.” Y/N pulled a pad of paper into his reach and picked up a pen, making a quick note. “Can I get the name of the individual?”

“Peter Vasquez. If you find anything, hand-deliver it to me, please.” Grace sounded relieved. “Thank you. Talk soon.”

“Of course. G’Bye.” Y/N hung up and sighed. Okay, interesting. Something else to do. He clicked out of the intel monitoring program and opened the command center. He typed in the backdoor entrance into the servers, making sure he wasn’t tripping any alarms.

Technically, he _was_ hacking into a secure set of servers. But everyone in their office sometimes had to reset their programs manually or pull lost information from the backups on the servers. This was a little different, as he needed to find the hidden backup that had an AI that scrambled the server ID every ten seconds.

_That_ would be where the deleted emails would still be hanging out in cyberspace. Nothing was ever truly wiped from the Avengers servers, so if he dug far enough, he would find Vasquez’s incriminating emails.

He ducked his head closer to the screen, brow furrowed as he typed in a command to analyze the scramble pattern. If there was a pattern in the first place. Coding ran across the command box for a minute and thirty-two seconds before an _Access Granted_ notification popped up.

No messages were indicating he tripped an alarm getting in, which brought a wave of relief. He navigated quickly to the hidden email servers, using a find command to search for Vasquez’s content. The filter brought up forty recently deleted emails and one scan over the messages told him everything he needed to know.

Three accomplices. Y/N wrote down the names of the other people involved and expanded his find command to bring up any correspondences that they deleted.

“That’s gonna be a big file.” Y/N mumbled, staring at the three-hundred emails that were each at least two pages long. He dug through his desk and retrieved a blank flash-drive. He went through the tedious process of copying the files to his computer’s private server and then relocating them to the drive. Once it was safe, he disconnected the flash-drive and tucked it into his pocket.

He backed out of the servers, closing everything down and pulling his work screen back up just as Kiera poked her head in.

“Hey, Y/N. Can I ask you something really quick?” She leaned against his cubicle wall with a friendly smile.

“Sure. What’s up?” He swiveled around to face her, swiping the sticky note and making a mental note to shred it.

“What are you doing this weekend?” She twirled a section of her hair around her finger.

“Nothing, probably. Just hanging with Angelica.” Y/N had a feeling he knew where this was going and he didn’t like it. He’d noticed her stares and caught onto her flirtatious jokes and advances. He just hadn’t the heart to tell her he wasn’t interested.

“Well, I’m free this weekend and thought that maybe you and I could -”

“Oh, shit! Sorry, Keira. I have to run down to Mission Control to reboot their intel screens. I was supposed to be there five minutes ago.” Y/N was out of his chair and brushing past her before she could argue. “We’ll have to talk later. Sorry.”

He was down the hall and out of their workspace like a bat out of hell. Hopefully, work would keep them separated and too busy for her to bring the subject up again.

Y/N felt bad for lying to her as he took the turn towards Accounting rather than the elevators, but he hated confrontation and creating bad blood in the workplace. It just made everything tense and uncomfortable for everyone. Well, when he handed over the drive to Grace Stevens, their workplace was about to get very tense.

Y/N took a deep breath and entered Accounting.

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“L/N! Front and center, ASAP!” Y/N’s supervisor barked over the sound of typing and soft phone conversations.

He stood and strode quickly to meet his supervisor, brow furrowed lightly. What was going on and why was he being called to the front? Was he in trouble? That would be just his luck this afternoon. A feeling in his stomach said that his boss found out that he hacked into their servers. That worried him.

“Sir?” Y/N asked once he’d approached his supervisor.

“You’re being requested in Conference Room A by Mr. Stark.” He said, a look of pride barely concealed.

“Regarding what, sir?”

“I wasn’t told. You’re wanted immediately.”

Y/N nodded and left the Intel offices, nerves tightening in his chest. Despite his boss looking proud and pleased, he couldn’t help but thinking that he was in big trouble. Mentally, as he walked across the Sky-Bridge, he was looking for new jobs. If he didn’t end up in prison, that is. That really worried him.

He knocked on the door to the conference room before stepping in. “Mr. Stark, you asked to see me?”

“Ah, there he is! The man of the hour.” Tony Stark swiveled around in his chair and held his hands out like he was showcasing a new invention. “So, you’re the famed Y/N L/N?”

“I suppose so, sir.” Y/N responded, glancing around the conference room in confusion. Other than Stark, Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers were sitting at the table.

“Please, take a seat. Don’t listen to Tony.” Steve smiled kindly and gestured to an open seat.

Y/N complied and nervously settled into the chair with a silent sigh to calm himself. “Did I do something wrong, sir?”

“Okay, first off: Don’t call me sir. It makes me feel old.” Stark said. “Second of all, you haven’t done anything wrong. In fact, you’ve done something incredibly right.”

“We became aware that someone was embezzling funds about a month ago. We managed to become absolutely certain that it was Peter Vasquez, but we didn’t know if he had accomplices. It turns out, he did.” Steve explained.

“Three, in fact.” Bruce piped up, eyebrows raised.

“So when a silent alarm indicating someone was digging around in our servers was triggered, FRIDAY alerted me and we put a trace out to identify who it was. At first, we suspected _you_ were the accomplice. But, we watched as you sought out the deleted emails from the hidden server (Good job getting in, by the way. The scramble makes it really difficult and you managed to get in without tripping all twenty-six alarms.) and backed what we thought was lost up onto a secure drive and delivered it to Miss Stevens.” Tony swiveled back and forth as he talked.

So this wasn’t a dismissal or an arrest. They were commending him. He realized exactly what had happened. He had helped catch four embezzlers.

“Unfortunately, what you did was technically illegal. You stepped outside of the law and that has consequences, I’m afraid.” Steve leaned forward on the table, a sympathetic smile on his face.

“Well, in any other case, that’s true. This time, though, we’re letting you off the hook since you did an incredible job,” Tony interrupted before Steve could continue. “So, I’m promoting you.”

“Tony?” Steve gave him a sideways glance of confusion.

“We need someone on the team who thinks outside the box to monitor intel and chatter related to specific things like Hydra movement and intergalactic messages from Asgard and other alien planets. The usual. You’ll also be monitoring certain missions and providing information in the field or to undercover agents,” Tony continued, barely stopping to listen to Steve’s complaints.

“I’m…I don’t know what to say.” Y/N breathed. Was this actually happening? Instead of being punished, he was being offered a promotion and the job that only comes once in a lifetime.

“The only problem is that kind of job isn’t a nine to five. You have to be on call all the time like us. Which means that it would require you to move into the compound.”

“It’s a great offer, it really is and I’d love to take it.” Y/N felt his stomach sink. He couldn’t take on that kind of job. It wasn’t possible. “But…I can’t. I’ve got a daughter at home.”

“You can visit your wife and daughter on the weekends since we try not to schedule work and missions then unless really necessary.” Steve finally seemed on board with what was going on, his confusion gone.

“Her mother…left us when she was two. It’s just me and her. I’m sorry, but I can’t accept the job.” Y/N stood to leave, swallowing the lump in his throat. An offer like that only came around once and he was giving it up. He had to. There was no way he was abandoning his daughter for a job.

“Tony, is there anything against his daughter coming to live here, too?” Bruce asked quietly.

“Well, I don’t see why not. Barton brings his kids around every so often and Carol’s girlfriend has a daughter that’s stayed the night on the rare occasion. Hell, Pete is here on weekends. How old is she?” Tony rambled to himself at first before turning to stop Y/N.

“She’s eight.”

“Okay, so transport to and from school and other activities can be arranged if you’re not free to do it yourself on any given day. Hours are flexible so you can leave to do things at any point and it won’t really be an issue. Except on mission days or when you’re helping our undercover agents. Yeah, we can make it work. Easily.” Tony stood and waved his hands around as he spoke, somewhere in his own world for a moment.

“Are…are you serious?” Y/N asked, eyes wide. “You’d do that for us?”

“Oh, yeah. You’re the best of the best and we want the best to be watching our backs. You’ll have your own rooms and access to all the amenities we have. Not only that, but you’ll have a pay jump, get your own office, and you can stop calling everyone by titles. You’ll be on our level as an official member of the Avengers.” Tony extended his hand. “So, what do you say?”

“When would I start?”

“Next Monday. This week would be moved in and learning the new space and getting acquainted and all that fun stuff. Are you gonna shake my hand or are you gonna leave me hanging?” Tony cocked his head slightly.

“I want to talk to my daughter first if I could? She should be at our neighbor’s right now. Can I call her?” Y/N asked.

“Ouch. Rejected,” Steve teased Tony and earned a glare. “Go ahead, Y/N.”

Y/N stepped out of the conference room and dialed his neighbor’s number.

“Hey, Y/N. Do you need something?” She picked up with mild concern.

“Can I talk to Angelica really quickly, please?” He smiled at a passing agent.

“Of course. Just one moment.” What would he even say to his daughter? Hey, we’re moving tomorrow because I got a promotion? No, he wanted her input. If she didn’t want to move, he would turn down the job. Hey, I know it’s the house we’ve been in since you were born but I think a change would be good for us?

“Hi, Papa!” He didn’t have time to figure it out when her cheery voice came over the speaker. It immediately made him smile.

“Hey, Angel. I need your opinion.” Y/N said, shoving his other hand into his pocket.

“I _told_ you. No patterns on patterns.” Angelica giggled.

“Not that kind of opinion, kiddo. I just got an offer at work. They want me to move to a higher position, but that has different hours than my current position. It means I’d have to be here all the time.” He explained before chewing on his lower lip. “I won’t be at home anymore. They want me to move here.”

“Do you wanna say yes, Papa?” Angelica asked quietly.

“I do. It’s a really good offer and I don’t know if I’d ever get another opportunity like this. I explained our situation and they’re willing to make it work. I wanted to ask you before I made a decision. Are you okay with moving here?” Y/N waited as silence filled the other end for a few seconds. He was worried she’d accidentally hung up.

“To the Avengers Compound?” She finally asked.

“Yeah, Angel. They said this would make me an Avenger. So, are you okay with this?”

“Are you kidding?! Say yes before they change their minds!!” She yelled, excitement lining her voice.

“Okay, okay! Stop shouting, kiddo! I’ll say yes.” Y/N laughed, his fear gone now that she was on board.

“Yes!! Now, get off the phone and go tell them you’ll take the job!!” He could practically hear her dancing on the other end.

“Okay! I’ll see you after work, then. Be good for Miss Irene. I’ll fill you in on all the details over pizza, okay? Love you.”

“Love you, too! Go!” And with that, the line went dead. Y/N shook his head fondly at his daughter. She was more excited about this than he was and it was almost endearing. He reentered the conference room.

“So, what’d the munchkin say?” Tony asked, extending his hand again. “And you better shake my hand this time.”

“I’ll accept the position.” Y/N shook Tony’s hand with a smile. “Thank you, Mr. Stark.”

“You’re an Avenger, now. Just call me Tony. Now, off to your little cubicle to pack up your stuff and you have the rest of the day off.” Tony grinned.

“Welcome to the team.” Steve clapped a hand on Y/N’s shoulder.

Y/N returned to Intel Services for the last time. Mondays weren’t so bad anymore.

He had walked into work as _Y/N L/N, Intel Specialist_ , and walked out _Y/N L/N, Intel Specialist and Avenger._

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	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adjustment to a new environment is always difficult, but Angelica seems to be taking it well. Y/N meets the other members of the team and watches as they take Angelica in as one of their own.

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Y/N brushed his hands off and sighed. He’d just finished unpacking the last of his things. The last week had been filled with packing boxes and making trips back and forth from the house. It was tiring and strange to move from the house they’d been in for ten years. He placed his hands on his hips, looking around his new quarters. 

The room was large with more than enough space for all of his things. Books lined up neatly in bookshelves, other trinkets scattered along the shelves. Pictures of Angelica hung on the walls, only broken up with a few nature shots. He straightened his shirt out and jumped as arms wrapped around his waist.

“Papa!”

“Holy - Angelica! You scared the living daylights out of me.” Y/N placed a hand on his chest, his heart beating strongly. Angelica giggled and bounced past him to flop on his bed. Her hair was pulled up out of her face since she’d been working to set up her room, too.

“I need help hanging my fairy lights.” Angelica rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin up with her hands. She kicked her feet back and forth idly, looking up at him with doe eyes.

“Well, I just finished up with my things so let’s go do that,” Y/N sat on the edge of the bed and gestured for her to climb onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he stood, shifting her further up. “We can finish unpacking the rest of your things, too.”

“And then can we get some ice cream from Pop’s?” Angelica asked, her legs swinging as they walked down the hall.

“Kiddo, I have to get some work done to set up my office for Monday. Maybe after school and the library tomorrow.” He said, letting her slide a little. She squealed, tightening her grip around his shoulders. 

“Papa! Stop! Don’t let me fall!” Angelica laughed, her hands clawing at her father’s shirt.

“Baby, I’d never let you fall,” Y/N grinned and squeezed her leg gently. “That time on the boat in Cape Cod should be evidence enough.”

“I’d never heard you swear so much." 

"The water was cold and I didn’t expect to fall!” Y/N defended himself. When she was six, they had gone to Cape Cod with a friend for summer break. On a particularly warm day, that friend had taken them out with a speed boat. Angelica had gotten a little too close to the edge when they were anchored and had slipped. He’d caught her, but in turn, fell overboard into the cold water. “I don’t swear often around you but it just slipped out.”

“Yeah, fourteen things just _slipped_ out.” Angelica snorted. “And the combinations used were just - _mwah_ \- Magnifique.”

“Angelica Ellaine L/N, I will drop you right here, right now.” Y/N threatened playfully. “And where did you learn that? Magnifique?”

“Our neighbor, Scott! He comes to visit Miss Irene sometimes to play dress up.” Angelica waved her hand in a poor imitation of a drag queen’s flamboyant gesture. “You better work, dahling! Yas!”

Y/N laughed and nudged her bedroom door open with his foot. She was just down the hallway from him, but with enough space in between to have some distance and privacy. He turned and let her fall onto the safety of her bed.

“Where do you want the lights?” He asked and picked the strand of lights up. They were little warm lights in plastic jars that mimicked fireflies in jars. Angelica liked them the most out of all of the ones she had since they reminded her of her favorite movie: The Princess and the Frog.

“Above my bed! They’re really nice to read by.” Angelica sat up and pointed to a location near her pillows. There were at least four piled up, as she liked having many, claiming that it felt like sleeping on a giant cloud.

“Okay. Scoot, then, so I don’t step or fall on you.” He gestured for her to move and she scrambled off with a giggle. “Be prepared to hand me the command hooks.”

“On it!” Angelica rifled through a plastic bag, looking for the package of hooks. She poured a bunch into her hand and bounced back over to where her father was.

Y/N carefully stood on her bed, balancing on the soft surface. He dropped the lights at his feet and held his hand out for a hook. He centered the hook with the wall, thankful the bed was centered as well, and firmly pressed it against the ceiling. After giving it a second, he bent down to grab the lights.

“Do you want them to hang low?”

“And to wobble to and fro?” Angelica countered, placing her hands on her hips. “Can you tie them in a knot?”

“I’ll tie you in a knot.” He mock threatened, looking at her over his shoulder. She stuck her tongue out at him and he returned it. “Do you want them to hang low?”

“Can we play with it?” She asked, head tilted, her sass melting away now that she was focused on something else. He swore his child had the attention span of a goldfish or the brain of a monkey. She would see something shiny and get distracted very easily.

“Well, I need to know where to put the other hooks, you dork.” Y/N hung the lights on the hook, perfectly centered. He grabbed one end of the strand and held it up, moving it to show different degrees of slack. “Tell me when.”

“Uhhh…..there! Perfect!" 

"Yeah, that looks perfect.” Someone said from behind them, startling them both.

They turned to see who it was and were greeted by a red-haired woman leaned in the doorway, arms folded over her chest.

“Hey, little monster. Don’t think we’ve met.” She smiled and gave a small wave to Angelica. “I’m Natasha Romanoff.”

“You’re Black Widow!” Angelica beamed, eyes wide. She was nearly vibrating with excitement, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I’m Angelica.”

“Nice to meet you, Angelica. I saw the door open and thought I’d come say hi. The others might stop in, too. Barnes and Rogers are on a mission right now, though, so don’t go looking for the fossils.” Natasha hitched her chin at Y/N. “Might want to move that to the right just a touch so it can be even on the other side.”

“Thanks, Natasha.” He held his hand out for a hook again. “Kiddo, you’re starstruck. Hook, please.”

Angelica didn’t move and he sighed, shaking his head in amusement.

“If you ever want to learn how to defend yourself, little monster, then talk to your dad and come find me. I like the lights.” Natasha winked and disappeared from the doorway.

“Are you gonna hand me a hook?” Y/N teased, turning to look at his star-eyed daughter. 

“Black Widow likes my lights.” She grinned.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

“Okay, lunch break?” Y/N asked, stretching his legs out. He’d been on the floor for an hour or so unpacking the rest of her decorations and trinkets. The muscles in his thigh seized up and he hissed under his breath, massaging the side of his leg gently.

“Ugh, yes, please.” Angelica bounced off her bed and onto her feet. “Carry me?”

“Ha, that’s funny. You have two legs. You can walk.” He snorted. “Come on, let’s get some lunch.”

Angelica slipped her hand into his and they walked together to the common room. She skipped along beside him, humming some random tune. She was settling into their new home well. He was afraid she would be uncomfortable with the new change and struggle to adjust. But everyone had been welcoming so far.

“And I told her she was crazy for doing it, but she just went in, guns blazing. Literally.” A voice drifted from the kitchen followed by laughter. “I hate it. She’s gonna get us killed one day.”

“But you have some good stories to tell.” Another voice, accented, floated into the hallway.

“Damn straight.”

Y/N poked his head into the kitchen and smiled. “Hey, Sam. Wanda.”

“Hi, Y/N. And mini Y/N.” Sam Wilson leaned against the counter and waved at Angelica when she came into view. “I’m Sam Wilson and this is Wanda Maximoff.”

“Nice to meet you. Angelica, yes?” Wanda’s eyes crinkled up when she smiled. Her chin was resting in her hand and an unopened bottle of water rested just in reach.

“Yeah! And you’re Scarlet Witch and you’re Falcon, right?” Angelica bounced on the balls of her feet, her excitement lighting up her eyes.

“Wow, yeah. That’s who we are.” Sam said, looking to Y/N with an amused smirk.

“She’s kind of a fan.” He shrugged, looking at his daughter who was practically bursting with enthusiasm. When he’d told her the full details the week before, she had gotten up from the dinner table and bounced around like a kangaroo on a sugar high. Like many other kids her age, she looked up to the Avengers as heroes. 

“Well, now, I guess you’re an honorary Avenger. Welcome to the team, little one.” Wanda glanced at the clock and her eyes went wide. “Oh! I’m supposed to be training with Stephen in ten minutes. I should run and change.”

“Yeah, you should. You know how he gets when you’re late.” Sam snorted, rolling his eyes dramatically in Angelica’s direction. She giggled.

Wanda hopped off her stool, swiping her water bottle, and wiggled her fingers in a wave, red energy floating through the air around her hand. “See you around, little one.” She left through the kitchen’s other door.

“C'mere, kid. Let’s pick a name for you.” Sam rounded the counter and picked Angelica up, setting her on the stool. “I’m thinkin’ something magic-related.”

“Hey, Sam, have you eaten lunch?” Y/N asked, moving to the fridge to see what he could make. He looked through the drawers, finding it easiest to make sandwiches with what they had. 

“Nope. You offering to cook?” Sam sat on the other stool and reached for his phone.

“I’ll make you a sandwich. I’m not cooking anything special.” Y/N placed a packet of cheese and a container of ham on the counter. He grabbed the bread and a couple of knives, starting to make Angelica’s favorite sandwich: ham and cheese with brown mustard and mayonnaise. Where his kid had picked up a love for brown mustard, he had no idea, since he didn’t really care for mustard.

“Thanks, Y/N. So, Angelica. Let’s get you a team name." 

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

Y/N shifted his desk to face the door, moving it to be perpendicular to the right wall. That was one thing he hated about being in a cubicle. He had always hated it when people snuck up behind him. Now, with the glass walls, he could see when people came up to his office. The windows behind him also brought natural light. Another thing his cubicle hadn’t had.

He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, a little too warm from moving things around. He dragged his desk chair around and sank into it, leaning back. There were plans he wanted to implement into his office, but that would happen over time. So far, he had a desk and a couple of monitors. Picture frames and smaller trinkets would decorate his desk and walls soon. 

At least there was a couch and an extra chair. He’d have to get an end table and a coffee table for visitors. But those plans were for later and not right now. What mattered was that he could work comfortably for the time being and have space for Angelica to do homework.

"Ooh, fancy!” Angelica, speaking of the little mischief-maker, appeared in the doorway. She ran towards the couch and jumped over the armrest, flopping onto the cushions with a squeal. “So, this is where all the super-secret stuff is gonna happen?”

“It’s not that cool. I just have to stare at a screen and make sure no one’s doing anything bad.” Y/N swiveled in his chair with an amused smile. Maybe he should get a plant or two, he thought. Or one of those small fountains that provided bubbling water as background noise.

“Catching bad guys before they do the bad things _is_ pretty cool,” Tony said from the doorway, hands sunk in his pockets. “Nice to see you’re getting all settled. If there’s anything you’d like to add, just tell Friday and we’ll get it for you.”

“Thanks, Tony.” Y/N straightened up, shifting to face the door. A teenage boy stood just behind him, looking like he didn’t know what was going on. “Angelica, you remember Tony, right?”

“Hi, Tony!” Angelica sat up, her knees over the armrest. She waved enthusiastically.

“Hey, munchkin. I just came by to introduce one of our team members. He’s here over weekends for training. This is Peter Parker. Pete, this is Y/N L/N, our intel specialist.” Tony placed his hand on the shoulder of the teenage boy and pulled him forward.

“Hi, Mr. L/N.” Peter smiled and waved shyly. He didn’t know what to do with his hands after that, moving them to his hips, then clasped them in front of him before folding his arms over his chest and tucking his hands against his chest.

“And that’s his daughter, Angelica. You two will get along famously,” Tony pointed to Angelica, who rolled backward on the couch and bounced to her feet.

“Which superhero are you?” She asked, straightening out her skirt and using her foot to pull the leg of her leggings down since it had bunched up on her calf.

“I’m…I’m Spiderman,” Peter said, lifting his shoulders in a slight shrug. He seemed very nervous like he wasn’t sure about meeting them today. Y/N wondered if Tony had just dragged him down to his office without telling him what was happening.

“No way! You used to swing by our apartment like once every week!” Angelica grinned. “That’s so cool!”

“Knew it - I called it. Didn’t I call it?” Tony pointed between Angelica and Peter before turning his finger to himself. “Anyway, Pete. If you have any intel from in the field or if you need intel, Y/N’s your man. It’s gonna be great!” He backed out of the room with a smile. “Gonna be great!”

“Is he always like that?” Y/N asked, laughing. Of all the people he’d met so far, Tony was by far the most entertaining. He was unpredictable and had quite the personality.

“Uh, yeah. He’s, uh…He’s always like that.” Peter nodded for a moment too long and the silence became a touch awkward. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Y/N. You, too, Angelica.” He held his hand out like he was offering to shake someone else’s, but since they were so far away…it didn’t quite work.

“Please, just Y/N. It’s nice to meet you, Peter. What you do is pretty incredible.” Y/N smiled and watched as Peter’s shoulders relaxed. He seemed to be an anxious individual around people he didn’t know.

“Oh, uh…thank you.” Peter’s face turned pink and he looked at his feet with a shy smile.

"Hey, kiddo. Don’t you have some homework to catch up on?“ Y/N turned to his daughter. Getting the attention off of Peter would probably help his nerves. 

"Awww, but it’s Friday!” Angelica whined, wrinkling her nose up and looking at her father with disdain.

“And you have a week’s worth of work to catch up on.” Y/N raised his eyebrows in a typical fatherly way. It had been easier to just pull her from school for a week to move everything from their house into the compound and to get used to the new environment.

“Uh, I have some homework, too. We could do it together?” Peter suggested, hooking his thumbs under his backpack straps.

“You wouldn’t mind?” Angelica asked, spinning around with a dazzling smile.

“Yeah. It’s totally fine. I could use the company while suffering through geometry.” Peter wrinkled his nose up in a similar manner, obviously not fond of the subject.

Angelica turned to her father with wide, questioning eyes. She was barely concealing her enthusiasm, beginning to bounce on the balls of her feet again.

“Why are you lookin’ at me? You live here and I trust you not to get into trouble.” Y/N said with a laugh. “You know the rules.”

“Don’t terrorize people. Pranks should be harmless. And snitches don’t get cookies.” Angelica recited, counting on her fingers. 

Peter looked between them with amused confusion. “Snitches don’t get cookies?”

“Our neighbor, Scott, taught it to her at three years old. It’s just been a thing since then.” Y/N explained. “Scott’s a personal accountant by day and a drag queen by night.”

“I’m gonna miss seeing Scott.” Angelica looked at her feet sadly. “He always brought the prettiest shoes.”

“Nothing against us visiting Irene and Scott from time to time, kiddo. Now, go on. You’ve got a bunch of homework to do and I know your math teacher gave you a good amount.” Y/N gestured with his head for them to go.

Angelica perked up suddenly. “Did you say geometry earlier?”

“Yeah?” Peter raised an eyebrow.

“You should show me some! I’m learning percentages right now, but it’s super boring.” She took Peter’s arm with a grin and pulled him out of the office.

“Have fun and don’t be a devil child!” Y/N called after her and she gave him a thumbs-up before passing his office front.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

Y/N scrolled through his phone aimlessly, laying on his stomach in bed. He still wasn’t used to calling it _his_ , since he’d only been living there for a week. The room was dark because of the late hour, but he wasn’t quite ready to sleep. Having a kid didn’t mean much time alone to just exist, so he would take every moment he could. Not that he didn’t love his daughter, he did, but he needed those few hours alone at night to recharge and relax.

His phone buzzed with a text from a number he didn’t recognize. 

???: Hey, Ciara. This is Larry. :)

Y/N: I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number. I’m not Ciara.

???: Are you sure this isn’t right? This is the number Ciara gave me.

Y/N: Considering I’m a guy and my name is Y/N, yeah. Pretty sure she gave you a random number. Sorry, buddy.

???: Oh…dang. Thanks for being so nice about that.

Y/N: No problem. Have a nice night.

???: You, too.

Y/N deleted the conversation, not worrying about it. It had happened to him before - on both sides - so there really wasn’t anything strange about the interaction. He sighed and switched back to Facebook, looking at his feed. A memory popped up and he smiled.

Angelica’s first day at school in kindergarten. She was smiling, a gap in her front teeth from losing her first tooth. Her hair was in braided pigtails and she was wearing a dress with a pair of Disney sister characters on the front. _My little girl’s growing up so fast. Lost her first tooth yesterday, and now she’s off to school for the first time._

He remembered that day vividly. She’d been so excited when she came home, talking up a storm about the friends she had made and the things they were learning. When she went to bed that night, she slept like the dead.

The next day, though, was one he _really_ remembered. She was supposed to do a “my family” drawing at school, and a few of the kids had noticed she had only drawn her dad. After saying she didn’t have a mom, they’d teased her until the teacher made them stop.

When he picked her up, the only thing she said when he asked how her day went was: Why don’t I have a mom? The car ride had been awkwardly silent after that, and he explained it to her over dinner. 

_I’ll always be here for you, though, Angel. I promise. Nothing in the world can take me away from you._

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angelica seems to be settling in nicely and Y/N is still getting used to having his kid around in his workplace. Especially when she’s known to be a little mischievous.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

Angelica snuck down the hall toward the common room, trying to keep her steps light or as close to silent as she could get them. She resisted the urge to look up at the ceiling, knowing Peter was just above her. This was a new system they were trying out where Angelica went first as a decoy and Peter would follow for the proper scare.

They had a shared love of harmless pranks and therefore had started a small prank war on the other inhabitants of the compound. At first, it had only been against each other, but they figured out that they could do way more if they teamed up. 

Y/N had warned them not to do anything too bad, knowing how some of the people in the compound were affected by sudden surprises. He’d sat Angelica down and explained what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was and how what she might perceive as a harmless trick might trigger something or cause a breakdown. 

She had understood and in her very solemn way promised to run her more “fear factor” ideas by him first just to be safe. When he _did_ shut down her ideas, she never argued and dropped the plan. Confuse not abuse was their motto.

Y/N, meanwhile, was working in his office, watching text scroll across his screen. There was a lot less than when he worked general intel, but that didn’t mean he could focus any less. Any small detail could make or break whether the information was crucial or not. Everything that came across his screen was very important, but some things had to be taken note of.

He had mastered reading and writing at the same time, his shorthand notes making no sense to anyone but him. He’d learned that the week before when he passed the intel off to Tony and he just stared blankly at the paper. Now, he translated his notes so others could understand. Sometimes, _he_ couldn’t tell what he was meaning to say.

A transmission from The Benatar came through and he pulled his seat closer. It was just a simple message about their whereabouts and where they were headed. Gamora had signed it off, saying that it was nice to meet him and that whenever they stopped by next, they had to properly meet. He wrote down their message before typing a message in response.

_Received. Glad to know you all are safe and having fun up there. Stop by anytime you want. My daughter would be overjoyed to meet all of you._

_\- Y/N_

Y/N leaned back in his chair, taking up a pen to make notes as information on underground movements possibly related to Hydra agents flooded in. More bases had been popping up recently, despite Steve’s attempts to drag them all down in the past. Instead of being against the Winter Soldier, though, he was with them. Which gave them the upper hand since he knew their inner workings.

A knock on his office door made him glance up. Bruce stood in the doorframe, his knuckles still against the wood of the door. He gave a shy smile. “Am I interrupting?”

“Not at all. Come on in, Bruce.” Y/N set his pen down and rolled his chair to the end of his desk. “What can I do you for?”

“I just came by to see how you were settling in. We haven’t talked much since you were offered the promotion.” Bruce sat tentatively on the couch, looking very unsure of himself. 

“Things have been going well. It’s nice of you to stop by, though.” Y/N swiveled back and forth casually. “I like having my own office.”

“It’s great, huh? I have a whole lab to myself most of the time. Tony invades my space once in a blue moon but he has his own lab somewhere else.” Bruce relaxed a little, laughing gently. 

“Angelica breaks the peace at least twice a day, but she’s my kid so it’s not as annoying. Except when I really have to focus. Then I kick her out for a bit.” He said with a lopsided grin.

“She wanders into my lab every so often to say hello or ask for help with her science homework. She’s lovely.” Bruce smiled. “Very bright.”

“Yeah, she is…I can’t keep up with her at this point. She’s going to surpass my skills soon.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Good thing she’s got you guys to check her science. I barely passed it in high school.”

“Really? I wouldn’t have expected that from you.” Bruce said.

“I was okay up through my sophomore year but once I hit physics, I lost all understanding. Algebra was never my strong suit, either.” Y/N rolled his eyes. Bruce was going to respond when shouting down the hall caught their attention. 

Peter sprinted by the office, yelling over his shoulder: “Every man for himself!”

Angelica was a few seconds behind him and she slid into her father’s office. “Hide me! Quick!” She slipped around his desk and curled up underneath it.

“Kiddo, what are you doing?” Y/N asked, giving her an amused look.

“Shhhh!” She shushed him and pressed herself into the corner, covering her mouth to hide her giggles. 

“Peter Benjamin Parker! Angelica Ellaine L/N! Get your butts back here!” Natasha seemed to be the source of the yelling as she stormed down the hall. She paused at the door to the office, leaning casually in the doorframe. “Hey, boys. You seen a tall spider or a little monster recently?”

Angelica shook her head vigorously in her father’s peripheral vision. He pretended not to see her, making sure not to look anywhere close to her location. “Snitches don’t get cookies.” She whispered as quietly as possible.

“What’d she do now?” Y/N asked. He had to uphold the Code. Snitches don’t get cookies, and he’d never betray his daughter.

“She tried to jumpscare me and then Peter swung down from the ceiling and scared the hell out of me.” Nat folded her arms over her chest. “So, I’m trying to grab both of them to dump them in the pool.”

Y/N laughed and shook his head. “I haven’t seen her, except for a few seconds ago. She ran by on Pete’s heels.”

“Bruce, have _you_ seen them?” Nat turned her gaze to the scientist, who suddenly grew visibly nervous. 

“Uh,” He glanced at Y/N. “They ran by just a minute ago.”

“Uh-huh…Well, I guess I’ll just keep looking.” Nat pushed off the doorway and started to leave before poking her head back in. “You’re still a terrible liar, Bruce.” She winked and disappeared.

“Is it safe?” Angelica whispered.

“Yep. Come on out.” Y/N rolled back a little bit to give her space to move out. “Good luck out there, kiddo. Watch your back.”

“Thank you, Mr. Banner! You deserve a cookie.” Angelica smiled at Bruce, the full personification of the smiley-face emoticon. She snuck to the doorway and glanced down the hall before turning the same way Peter had run.

“How long do you think it’ll be?” Y/N asked, returning his chair to its proper place.

“Until what?" 

His question was answered by a scream from down the hall that devolved into squealing laughter. There was some indiscernible shouting from three different people.

"Until Nat caught her at the corner.” Y/N watched as Nat went running by, laughing, with Angelica thrown over her shoulder.

“Peter! Help! She got me!” Angelica yelled through giggles, hand extended out behind Nat’s back.

“Angelica! No!” Peter followed, reaching for her. “Nat, give her back!”

Y/N shook his head fondly as the chaos grew quieter the farther they got. “We’re settling in well, as you can see. She’s making friends and creating chaos. I’d be worried if she wasn’t.”

“Did she always play pranks on you?” Bruce asked, smiling uncontrollably.

“On more than one occasion, I found shaving cream in my shoes.” Y/N wrinkled his nose up at the memories. He had hated that feeling of shaving cream squeezing between his toes in his socks.

“Gross. She and Peter were bound to get along well, then.” Bruce glanced at the clock and got to his feet. “I should let you get back to work. If Angelica has a science or math question, you can totally send her to me.”

“Thanks, Bruce. You’re a genius.” Y/N rolled back over to his work station, shaking his mouse to wake his computer up. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Bruce said as he walked backward out of the room, pausing in the doorway.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Bruce! You’re totally a genius.” Y/N pointed with his pen, smiling as he spoke.

Bruce ducked his head sheepishly and nodded before he left the office.

Y/N returned to his screen, pulling his notes back into reach, and scanned the text again. Another couple of hours before lunch.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

“Your kid.” Tony suddenly popped in, holding his phone out to show Y/N what was on it. “Your _kid_ keeps changing my phone background.”

Y/N looked up and glanced at the screen before bursting into laughter. It was a photo of a sloth dressed as an astronaut. In the past year, she’d managed to change her father’s phone background and laptop wallpaper to that stupid sloth photo without his knowledge at _least_ sixteen times. 

“Why?” Tony asked, defeated. “Why is she doing this?”

“She read about someone online who did the same thing to their parents and she took inspiration. I’m happy to see she’s moved on to other targets.” Y/N shook his head in amusement. “Shouldn’t your phone be super secure or something?”

“It is! I don’t understand how she keeps doing it. I’ve changed my password eight times and even had Friday monitor any attempts to hack in.” Tony sank down onto the couch, tossing his phone beside him. 

“Well, she definitely can’t hack things. She’s smart, but not that smart. Usually, a password change will keep her from trying again.” Y/N swiveled to the side, head cocked.

“This is the second time _today_ ,” Tony grumbled, brows furrowed. “I don’t get it.”

“Well, you’re the genius here.” Y/N snorted, glancing at his screen again. “If my kid’s not the one hacking your phone, who is?”

“Oh, my god,” Tony said, standing quickly. He rushed to leave but paused in the door. “ _You're_ the genius, Y/N.”

Y/N arched a brow in mild intrigue. “Uh-huh. You’re welcome?”

Tony flashed a smile before turning. “Peter Benjamin Parker, how many times have I told you _not_ to hack into my stuff!” He shouted as he walked down the hall.

“Kid, you’re sowing chaos.” Y/N glanced at his daughter curled up under his desk. 

“Huh?” Angelica looked up from her book, confused. “What’s going on?”

“Peter hacked Tony’s phone and changed his phone background to that astronaut sloth.” He responded, returning to his work.

“Oh, Pete didn’t do that.” She said, turning her page. “Mr. Banner did after seeing us do it. Somethin’ about getting back at him for leaving crumbs all over his lab.”

Distant yelling floated down the hall to the office. High-pitched ’ _Mr. Stark, it wasn’t me!_ ’s were the only things that could be properly made out. Angelica made eye-contact with her father.

“Should I?” She asked.

“Nah.” Y/N said and they both started to snicker. “He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”

Angelica giggled and returned her attention to her book. 

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

Y/N pulled himself out of the pool, shaking his head to fling water off his face. He hadn’t gotten to use the facilities yet since they moved in. The pool was really nice - way better than any of the public pools he’d been to. He used to swim once a week but work got in the way. Now that it was Sunday, he could enjoy the free access for as long as he wanted.

He grabbed a towel, dried his hair and face, and walked to the locker room. His shirt was folded up on a bench with his shoes sitting beside it. He dried the rest of his body off and pulled his shirt on. He slipped his feet into his shoes and froze.

“ _Dammit_ , _Angelica_!” Y/N shouted as shaving cream seeped between his toes and spilled over the top of his feet. He grimaced and kicked his shoes off, quickly wiping the shaving cream off. He picked up his shoes and went storming off to find his daughter.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

“Hey, Y/N. Sorry to intrude after hours.” Sam knocked on the doorframe to his bedroom. 

“Hey, Sam. No worries.” Y/N looked up from his book and set it aside. “What’s up?”

“Bucky and Steve are coming back really early tomorrow morning. Like, three in the morning early.” He wrinkled his nose up. “They might have sensitive intel from their raid so Tony’s asked you to be in office by the time they get back.”

“I won’t yell at you since you’re just the messenger, but really?!” Y/N groaned, running a hand over his face. If he wasn’t a morning person before, he surely wouldn’t be a happy camper at such an early hour. “Guess my plans to stay up reading have been shot.”

“Sorry, man. It’s what the boss wants. But really, blame Barnes because he wanted to get back as soon as possible.” Sam crossed his arms and shrugged. “Always his fault if somethin’ goes wrong. Man brings bad luck wherever he goes.”

“I think that’s a little harsh and biased. I haven’t even met the guy, yet.” Y/N leaned over to set his book on the nightstand. He snagged his phone and started to set an alarm or two for the morning. 

“I’m sure you’ve heard all the rumors. Some of them are true - about him being grouchy and an anti-social person - but a good majority of the rumors is just scuttlebutt. Er, gossip. He’s got a good heart, but _man_ he can be annoying as hell,” Sam smiled fondly, though he tried not to look it. 

“Sounds about right,” Y/N chuckled, sliding his charging phone underneath his pillow. 

“He’s really slow to trust and open up, so if he’s a little closed off and rough around the edges, it’s not you. It’s all him, so don’t worry.” Sam explained. “Might want to ease him into meeting the little rascal, though. He’s skittish on his bad days and after missions.”

“I took the liberty of reading over all of the team’s files so I get why. Thanks for letting me know. I should get some sleep so I’m not _as_ grumpy in the morning when I greet them.” Y/N yawned on accident, covering his mouth with his hand. 

“No problem. I’ll let you get some rest.” Sam reached forward and closed the door as he left.

Y/N turned out the light and sank down in bed, drawing the covers up. He had at least four extra blankets just for the weight. He liked having the excess weight since it made him feel secure and grounded. 

“Hey, Friday?”

“Yes, Mr. L/N?”

“If I don’t wake up from my alarms, please wake me." 

"Of course." 

Y/N fell asleep shortly afterward, not fully aware of how tired he had been. Moving and getting used to the new environment had really taken it out of him and his body was begging to catch up. A shame he’d only get five hours before being dragged from bed. That was going to be one of the very few downsides of this new job.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumors had always surrounded Bucky Barnes. A very early morning has Y/N thinking that every single one of them are wrong.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Y/N sank into his desk chair, sleep hanging at the corner of his eyes. He almost had hit his alarm and gone back to bed, but since Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes were returning from a mission, he forced himself out of bed. They’d have information for him to add to the system that could be urgent. So, here he was, half-awake and booting up his computer.

He hadn’t even had his caffeine this morning so his personality had yet to catch up. He was just a walking, mumbling shell of Y/N until his brain woke up entirely. That could take ten minutes, or it could take two hours. 

A knock on the door made him look up and blink to see who was in his doorway. The hall outside was still dark and his office wasn’t very bright either so it was a little difficult to see.

Steve smiled in greeting and leaned against the doorframe. He was still in his tactical gear, a bloody scratch on his cheek proving that he’d come straight from the helicarrier. “Hey, Y/N. You’re up bright and early.”

“Well, you two decided to come back before even the roosters are awake, so…here I am. Just in case you guys had sensitive intel for me.” Y/N tiredly smiled in return.

“Ah. Buck’s the one who gathered most of the intel. He wanted to shower first since he was, in his words, sweatier than a sinner in a church and smellier than a nightclub on Wednesdays.” Steve shrugged. “Sometimes I wonder if he’s okay when he says stuff like that.”

“A…nightclub on…Wednesdays?” Y/N asked, head tilted curiously.

“Apparently, Wednesdays were some of the busiest nights back in the day at the clubs he used to go to. Packed with people. We didn’t really use deodorant in that time…so, it smelled pretty bad after a while.” Steve explained. “Anyway, I came by to ask you a very important question.”

“What’s up?”

“What is your favorite caffeinated drink?”

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Y/N didn’t realize he had fallen asleep on his desk until someone had carefully placed a cup next to him. He turned his head as he woke up, leaning his cheek against his arm. He blinked awake, noticing the mug.

“Bless you, you beautiful, beautiful person.” He mumbled sleepily, straightening up and taking the warm drink gratefully.

“An apology for making you get up really early and somethin’ to get you movin’.” The person said with a soft voice. “Steve told me that was your favorite.”

Y/N looked up at them and paused. He was tall - but that may have been the vantage point - and had wide shoulders. His eyes were a glittering blue and filled with friendliness. He gave a lopsided smile.

"I’m Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, but everyone just calls me Bucky.“

"Y/N L/N. Nice to meet you. And thanks for the drink.” Y/N extended his hand to greet Bucky. “So, what do you have for me?”

Bucky set a small stack of old files on the corner of the desk before sitting down on the couch pressed against the wall meant for visitors. He laid his ankle on his knee, leaning back and lounging against the couch. He hitched his chin towards the dusty files.

“Grabbed them from the Hydra base we raided. Not sure what all is in there but it seemed pretty important given how it was locked in a safe within a safe, behind a vaulted door _and_ guarded by people armed to the teeth.” Bucky explained then sighed deeply, his head falling back against the top of the seat. He stared at the ceiling, shaking his head slightly.

“Sounds crazy. You okay?” Y/N swiveled in his chair to face Bucky, tilting his head slightly. He warmed his hands with the drink he’d been brought, taking slow sips periodically to avoid burning his tongue.

“Yeah, just tired and glad to be back.” Bucky picked his head back up and brushed his hair back out of his face. It was obvious he had just gotten out of the shower not too long ago, his hair still damp and starting to curl up. 

“Did you get hurt?” Y/N asked, concerned. From the looks of Steve, the mission had been rough on them. They’d been gone for almost two weeks.

“Nothin’ major. Few scratches and bruises. Maybe a pinched nerve or muscle in my knee, but Bruce isn’t awake yet to get it checked out.” Bucky gestured with his head to his left knee before shrugging. “How’re you settling in? I heard about Stark’s smooth promotion offer.”

“Oh, yeah…that scared the shit out of me. Everything’s working out well. A little strange being my own boss, really, but it feels great. I know Angelica’s having a blast with the fact there’s a pool downstairs and she’s surrounded by some pretty cool people.” Y/N shook his head fondly. “New office, new room, new environment. It’s different…but good.”

“That’s how I felt when I first moved here. Though, everyone wasn’t as welcoming…and they had every right not to trust me.” Bucky looked at the floor, expression faltering. “I’m…not the easiest to get along with somedays.”

“I think we’re getting along just fine.” Y/N gave him a friendly smile. “I _might_ be biased since you brought me my favorite drink.”

Bucky laughed then, a warm sound that filled the space, and the corners of his eyes crinkled up. “So you figured out my plan. Bribe you into likin’ me." 

"Don’t think you have to bribe me very much.” Y/N broke into laughter, too, happy to see a smile back on Bucky’s face. “You should get some food and get some rest if you can.”

“I won’t be able to sleep until later. Too wired still and probably will be for most of the morning.”

“Maybe Wanda will make some tea for you.” Y/N set his cup down. “My daughter doesn’t know that you two were coming back this morning. She can be very hyperactive and excited when meeting new people. I didn’t want you to come back from a mission and possibly be in a bad state of mind only to be met with a kid who wants to ask you rapid-fire questions for an hour.”

“I appreciate that. I won’t be against meeting her this afternoon. It’s a Monday, right?” Bucky glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost five in the morning. “Yeah. Sometime this afternoon, if you want me to swing by and meet her, just let me know.”

"Of course. Thanks, again, for the drink. I’ll get to these files soon.“ Y/N smiled, waving his hand vaguely at the stack of files.

"No problem. I’ll get out of your way and leave you to it. Nice to meet you, Y/N. Happy to have you on the team.” Bucky stood raised his arms above his head in a stretch. “Oh, and if you need translating or cracking the codes, let me know and I’ll help with what I can. See you around, Y/N.”

“See you, Bucky.” Y/N watched him walk past the glass front of his office and down the hall. All the rumors he’d heard about Bucky being gruff and cold to everyone he meets seemed to be untrue. He already liked the ex-assassin, despite only knowing him for ten minutes total. His rough exterior was offset by his kindness and concern for others.

Y/N pulled the top file and opened it. He sighed. It was all in Russian. Luckily, he could scan the documents into the computer and a program would translate them all out. The only thing he’d need to do afterward would be to create a decoder for the system Hydra used. He shook his mouse to wake his computer.

This was similar tedious work to what he’d used to do, but at least he could wear what he wanted and play music out loud without disturbing anyone. And his daughter could come in and out whenever she wanted when she was tearing around like the little gremlin she was. 

With a wayward glance at the clock, he stood and started scanning the documents.

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Angelica came running into Y/N’s office after school had gotten out, her backpack thrown on the floor near the couch. She flopped onto it on her back, limbs sprawled out, groaning loudly.

“Well, hello to you, too.” Y/N said, glancing up from his computer to look at his daughter. “How was school?”

“Boring. Like usual.” She whined, throwing her arms out but nearly falling off the couch in the process. She squealed and steadied herself. “I wish we did harder math things or read more interesting things.”

“Can’t be as boring as what I’ve been doing.” Y/N teased, scrolling through the newly translated documents. He was still scanning the files that Bucky had brought that morning and he had yet to start cracking the codes that HYDRA used. “I have at least thirty-eight papercuts on my hands now.”

“Whatcha looking at?” Angelica rolled off the couch and moved to see his computer screens. He switched tabs quickly to a google home page. “Papaaa.”

“It could be sensitive content, Angel. Can’t show you that. And I have no idea what kind of content is in there. Some of it might not be suitable for you.” Y/N picked her up and settled her on his lap, an arm around her waist. She leaned back against him, leaning her head against his. “I could take a break and we can watch some YouTube.”

“Ooh! Can we watch some dog videos?” She asked, excited.

“Whatever you want, kiddo.” He leaned forward and brought up YouTube, typing in a search for funny dog videos. “We can have a fifteen-minute break before I should get back to work and you should start on homework.”

“Don’t ruin this for me.” Angelica groaned, lighting kicking his shin. “Ooh! The first one looks adorable. Look at his little paws!”

Y/N grinned and clicked on the video, turning up the volume. Her giggles and laughter always brightened his day. He watched a puppy stumble and tip a water dish over. Everyone needed a puppy break in the middle of the day and it was definitely needed after the very early morning. 

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“Oh, wow. This is fancy. You sure moved up in the world.” Kiera’s voice startled Y/N and he looked up from his notes. 

“Oh, hi! Come in, Kiera.” Y/N minimized the tabs on his screens and closed his notebook. “What can I do for you?”

“Well, I have a few files from our department that are directly related to a mission that’s coming up that they want you to look at.” She said, holding up two folders. 

“I've _not_ been told of any mission but let me see what’s up.” He held his hand out and she crossed his office to pass the files over. He opened the top one and scanned over the words. “I’ll have to talk to Tony or Steve to see what this is about, but this seems pretty important.”

“The boss man wanted me to run it up here as soon as it was compiled. Are you _sure_ you don’t know what it’s about?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“They might’ve told me and I just forgot. It’s been a crazy few days with Natasha and Sam prepping to leave for a mission tonight and the intel I had to send to the Guardians.” Y/N set the files down on his desk.

“So, how’s it feel to be in the elite club?” Kiera sat down on the couch, crossing her legs. She was wearing a pencil skirt and heels, which he didn’t actually pay attention to after doing a quick scan over her. 

“I had to get up at like…three-thirty this morning because Rogers and Barnes decided to return from a mission with sensitive files at four.” Y/N buzzed his lips, leaning back in his chair. “Rogers stopped by first to say hi and tell me Barnes had all the files.”

“Sergeant Barnes makes me…uncomfortable sometimes. He’s really quiet in meetings and always looks like he’s angry or doesn’t want to be there.” Kiera pursed her lips. “And whenever he talks, he’s really short and gruff. He just seems really cold and unapproachable. Did you have to deal with him alone?”

“He brought me my favorite drink, apologized for making me get up so early, and asked how I was settling in. He was nice and offered to help decode the files he’d brought.” He shrugged, thinking back on their conversation that morning. “He was really friendly and open. I think he just isn’t comfortable around strangers or large groups of people.”

“Y/N, I’m worried about you and Angelica. What if he tries to hurt either of you? I _know_ they say he’s stable but is he _really_? What if he just snaps one day and turns back into the Winter Soldier?” Kiera stood and crossed to him, sitting on the edge of his desk. 

Y/N arched a brow slightly as she laid a hand on his shoulder, her thumb rubbing in a circle over the fabric of his shirt. “Kiera, why are you even bringing this up? If there was even the possibility of him being a threat to anyone, especially Angelica, they wouldn’t have let us move in here or he would still be in Wakanda.”

“All I’m saying is that you should be careful, okay? I don’t think you should get too close to him. I don’t want to see you get hurt and I really don’t want to see Angelica get hurt.” Kiera said. She didn’t even know Bucky other than what she’s heard through rumors or the news, so why was she pushing this so much? In his eight-minute conversation with Bucky that morning, he’d already dismissed all the rumors and other experiences people had told him about because of how open and friendly he’d been.

“Kiera,” He started, voice low and stern. “If I had any concerns about Bucky, I would speak to him directly about it. Talking about him behind his back and perpetuating rumors only hurts his reputation and the way people view him. He knows people don’t trust him and feels that it’s rightfully deserved.”

“Just…be careful, okay? That’s all I’m asking. I just fear for Angelica.” Kiera said quietly.

“Oh, uh…I’ll just…come back in a few minutes.” A voice made them both turn and Y/N shrugged Kiera’s hand off his shoulder. Bucky was standing awkwardly in the doorway, a hand raised to knock on the door.

“No, come on in, Bucky.” Y/N flashed him a warm smile and gave a side-eyed glance at the woman still hovering near him. “Kiera was _just leaving_.” He said through his teeth.

“The boss will want me back in my little cubicle.” She stood and walked past Bucky without sparing a glance at him and paused in the doorway. “I’ll see you Wednesday night.” She winked and smiled before sauntering down the hall.

“Did I interrupt something?” Bucky avoided eye contact, looking at the pictures on the wall instead as he moved further into the office. He looked awkward, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Y/N wondered if he overheard their conversation. 

“She was just bringing files relating to a mission coming up that I may or may not have been told about.” Y/N turned back to his computer, opening his tabs and notebook again. Bucky could see the intel and he didn’t have to worry about the confidential issue.

“Seemed a little more friendly than that.” Bucky snorted, sitting down on the couch, and immediately sinking into it. He was relaxing with every passing second. “Wednesday, huh?”

“I have absolutely _no_ idea what she was talking about. The only plan I have Wednesday night is to go to the library after getting ice cream at Pop’s Shoppe with Angelica like we do _every_ Wednesday night.” Y/N said, looking at him with an open expression of honesty. 

“Sounded like a date to me.” Bucky threw an arm over the back of the couch, his ankle resting on his knee. “Nothin’ wrong with that if it was.”

“She’s just a friend.” Y/N sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I should clear that up with her in case she got the wrong impression." 

"I don’t think you called me down here to talk about your workplace drama, though.” Bucky gave him a lopsided smile, head tilted slightly. Any awkwardness or discomfort was gone. “What’s up?”

“Need your help deciphering the codes. I’ve identified four different codes they use but I can’t figure out what they mean.” Y/N pressed his lips together in frustration. “I’ve written each of them down.”

“Got a pen?” Bucky sat up, hand extended.

“Yeah. Here’s the notebook, too.” Y/N passed them to him, noticing that he didn’t hesitate with reaching out with his metal arm. Not that he minded the metal prosthetic in the first place. “While you work on that, I can look over the files Kiera brought.”

“She seems nice. Seen her in a couple of briefings. Knows what she’s talking about and is really good at her job.” Bucky said, eyes scanning the notebook as he wrote. “Not a bad choice, honestly.”

“She _is_ nice, but not my type.” Y/N responded, opening one of the new files, ignoring the flush rising on his face. He was so embarrassed for absolutely no reason.

“Don’t think she knows that.” Bucky snorted before muttering something in Russian under his breath. He glanced up for a moment. “Maybe you should make it clear to her.”

“Last week I used going to Operations Control - even though I was actually going to Accounting - as an excuse to leave just to stop her from asking me to dinner because I didn’t want to turn her down.” He admitted, keeping his gaze on the papers as his face warming up even more.

“Just let her down easy. Tell her you think she’s nice but you aren’t interested in a romantic relationship with her.” Bucky suggested with a shrug.

A comfortable silence settled between them as they both worked on their respective tasks. Occasionally, there was a soft whirring of the computers as the fans turned on to cool them down or of Bucky’s arm as he moved. It was because of this that they both heard the footsteps rushing toward the office.

“Papa, I finished my homework! Can you check my multiplication worksheet?” Angelica came dashing in, holding a folder to her chest, and smiling broadly.

“Inside voice, kiddo. Inside voice.” Y/N looked up with a gently chastizing expression. “But, yes. I can check your math." 

Angelica stopped with wide-eyes, actually noticing the man on the couch for the first time since she’d sprinted in. There went the plan of setting up a meeting time for Bucky and the ball of energy.

Bucky glanced up and gave her a quick smile that reminded Y/N of the one he gave to people when they held doors open for him. It was full of awkward friendliness and Y/N had sympathy for him.

"You’re James Buchanan Barnes.” She said in amazement, smiling broadly in return. She bounced on the balls of her feet, barely containing her enthusiasm.

“Uh, yep. That’s my name, but you really don’t need to call me James or Barnes or whatever. Just Bucky works.” He tucked a strand of hair that had fallen into his vision behind his ear. “And you’re..?”

“Angelica. Kiddo, you can barrage Bucky with questions here in a second but I need your math homework if you want me to check it.” Y/N chuckled. His daughter snapped out of her daze and rushed to hand her folder to him. She then skipped over to the couch and flopped down next to him.

“Whatcha working on?” She asked in her adorable way, her head tilted.

“Code cracking for your dad.” Bucky hummed, shifting so he wasn’t so closed off.

“Is it fun?”

“Sort of. I’m tired so I’m not exactly at a functioning level.” He bounced his foot slightly. “I think you’re the only person I’ve met who has been starstruck and knew my actual name.”

“I did a project last month about you for history. That lesson was the only one that was _not_ boring.” Angelica swung her legs. “I think you’re pretty cool.”

“Oh,” Bucky said, looking at the notebook. “Uh, thanks.”

Y/N glanced up from the multiplication problems to see a blush spreading across the badass Winter Soldier’s face. He smiled secretly and returned to the multiplication, scanning just to be sure his math whiz of a kid hadn’t missed anything in her speed demon functions.

“Everyone else wanted to do projects on Natasha or Steve or Wanda and no one wanted to do a project on you. Made me mad ‘cause they had all these ideas about you that were, like, not at all true but they didn’t know that 'cause they jus’ listened to their parents and didn’t take ten minutes to think for themselfs.” Angelica glared at the floor in her very childlike stern manner. “There’s a reason you’re a hero but they wouldn’t know that 'cause all they’d heard was that you were a bad guy. So someone had to tell them otherwise.”

“Alright, kiddo. This all looks correct. Good job.” Y/N tucked the papers back into her folder and set his pen aside. She hopped off the couch and took her folder back with a smile. “Bucky and I need to get back to work, so you’ll have to scram, okay?”

“Wanda said she’d teach me how to make some food from her homeland when I was done with my homework,” Angelica told him.

“You remember the rules?”

“Yep!" 

"Then scram. Have fun.” Y/N gently shoved her shoulder and she giggled.

“Bye, Bucky! See you later!” Angelica said, pausing at the door to give him a wave.

“See ya around, sweetie.” He waved back with a friendly smile before she took off running down the hall again. “She _is_ quite the ball of energy.”

“You have no idea.” Y/N laughed, picking the file back up. “She didn’t make you uncomfortable or anything, right? She tends to get loud and talkative when she’s super excited.”

“No, no. It was cute. I’ve…never really had someone act like that the first time I’ve met them. Usually, they’re all wary and distrustful like I’m some feral dog that has to be danced around.” Bucky sighed, running a hand through his hair. His lips were pressed into a firm line and he glared at the notebook.

“You know, when she did that project on you, she wouldn’t stop talking about you for weeks. I’ve seen her get passionate about things before, but for some reason, she was _extra_ determined to prove to everyone that you’re a good guy now.” Y/N smiled fondly. “She likes seeing the good in people. Always have, and probably always will.”

“I think she takes after you on that one,” Bucky mumbled under his breath. “This should let you decode the information. They mixed codes a _lot_ just to be extra sure no one could sell the intel.”

Y/N took his notebook and pen back with a nod. “Thanks. This will help a ton.”

Bucky stood, wincing slightly as his knee popped. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

“Oh, I have a deal proposition before you go.” Y/N stopped him with a smirk. 

“I’m listening.” Bucky arched a brow.

“You bring my drink every morning and every time Angelica plans a prank on you or a prank that could affect you, I’ll let you know. If she asks, just say it’s a super-soldier superpower or something.” Y/N offered with a mischievous grin. “We have a deal?”

“We have a deal.” Bucky shook his hand. 

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	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y/N’s first game night gives him a look into the team’s dynamic. It’s a nice chance for him to hang out with adults and do adult things for the first time in a long time. Finding his place with them is also not as hard as he thought.

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“You got everything, kiddo?” Y/N asked, passing over her backpack. She slid it over her shoulders and moved her hair out of the way so it didn’t get caught between her back and the bag.

“I think so!” Angelica furrowed her brows adorably in contemplation, her lip stuck out slightly. Everything she did was adorable to her father. She was a blessing to his life and what kept him going through his darkest days.

“Good, ‘cause it’s not like you’re just next door anymore. I’m not driving all the way out to give you your toothbrush.” He teased, sliding his phone into his back pocket. “Lillian’s picking you up and Happy will get you around three tomorrow.”

“Have fun on your night off, Papa!” She hugged him tightly around the waist and beamed up at him. 

“You behave for Lillian, okay? If I have a few drinks, I won’t be able to come get you. But most importantly, enjoy yourself.” Y/N picked her up and placed her on his hip, wrapping his arm under her to support her weight. “Get it, got it, good?”

“Get it, got it, good!” She kissed his cheek, wrapping her arms around his neck. He snagged her pillow off the counter and used his back to open the door. She swung her feet slightly as they made their way to the staircase.

The sun had begun to set and was painting the sky with flaming reds and oranges. It lit up the atrium through the large front windows, casting everything in a warm light. A few birds flitted about from the trees, chasing each other and in the silence of the compound, their chittering could be heard faintly.

Kiera was walking toward the doors when Y/N started to descend the stairs. She looked up at the sound of footsteps and smiled. “Well, hello!”

“Hey, Kiera.” Y/N greeted, a bit of anxiety building in his chest. It was a Friday…why was she still here? Most employees had already gone home by now, but it wasn’t uncommon for people to stay late to finish projects.

“Where are we headed? Have…they scared you off already?” Kiera gave Y/N a hidden look but kept her smile up to not alert Angelica she had an alternate message in her words.

“Nope,” He said bluntly, not willing to put up with her vendetta against Bucky. “Angelica’s just spending the night with a friend. It’s the monthly gaming and drinking night. Since I’m on the team, I got invited.”

“Oh…well, that sounds fun.” Kiera tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“I heard Nat saying that you guys are gonna play Naboo. You and Bucky would make a pretty good team.” Angelica giggled and poked his shoulder.

“It’s _Taboo_ , honey. An intelligence-based game is perfect for us after a few drinks.” Y/N shifted his daughter’s weight slightly. “So, we’ll see how things go.”

“Don’t drink too much.” Kiera gave him a warning glance. “That won’t be fun in the morning.”

“Oh, there’s Lillian! Time to go, kiddo.” Y/N smiled thinly, grateful for Lillian’s perfect timing. He wasn’t sure he could continue the conversation without snapping at her. He shifted his grip on Angelica’s pillow and started for the door. 

“Here, let me get that for you. I’m headed that way, anyway.” Kiera rushed up beside them and opened the door for them with a smile.

“Thanks.” Y/N nodded and returned it. As soon as he passed her, it dropped and he took a deep breath to calm himself.

“Papa…don’t you like her?” Angelica whispered, glancing over his shoulder.

“I do, but she’s…that’s a conversation we can have later,” He mumbled as he kneeled to set her down. “Don’t think about it, okay? Just have fun tonight.”

“Of course, Papa.” Angelica hugged her father tightly. 

“Hey, Y/N! Look at that…give my compliments to the architect.” Lillian had rolled down her window and was leaning over. Angelica had been friends with her daughter, Madison, since kindergarten. They had been joined at the hip for as long as either of their parents could remember. Lillian worked for a contracting company as their lead architect, which is why she was staring at the building with starry-eyes.

“I’ll let Tony know that his building has the Lillian Greyson Professional Seal of Approval.” Y/N opened the back door and raised a hand to the girl sitting in the back. “Hi, Madi. How’s school going?”

“Hi, Mr. Y/N! It’s really fun! I miss having Angelica in my class, though.” Madison waved enthusiastically and reached out to grab Angelica’s pillow. from him. Angelica climbed into the back of the car and removed her backpack. The two girls started chattering about the movie they were going to watch that night. A film by a famous doll company that had something to do with mermaids and fairies. He remembered it coming out when he was younger, so it was an older film, but they’d been watching the classic movies.

“So, what time must I let my second kid go?” Lillian asked with a fake dramatic sigh.

“Happy Hogan will pick her up at three tomorrow. I’ll text you about the details once I’m back upstairs.” Y/N leaned down to talk through the window, resting his forearms on the door. “I can’t promise I’ll respond to anything later, though, because we’re going to be drinking tonight, I guess.”

“That sounds like a fun time.” Lillian winked. A squeal from the backseat made them both chuckle. “Well, I should get these two back to the house before they explode from excitement.”

“Thanks, Lillian. If she’s trouble, you know you have dangling rights.” When she was younger, he used to fake threaten to dangle Angelica from the stairwell of their apartment complex. He never would’ve done it, but it had gotten her to behave when he really needed her to. Y/N backed away and shoved his hand into the pocket not occupied by his phone. The car pulled away and Angelica waved goodbye.

“She seems nice,” Kiera said, coming up beside him.

“Yeah, she’s been a huge help with Angelica. Madi’s been a great friend for her, too. They’ve always been there when we needed them.” Y/N smiled distantly. When Angelica had been very young and still in the more infant stage, Lillian had been a surrogate mother and walked him through what he needed to do in situations. Without her, he doubted they would’ve gotten as far as they did.

“Is she single?” Kiera elbowed his side playfully, but he could hear the jealousy seeping into her voice.

“Nah. She’s got a wife. Really nice woman. Hard worker,” He responded. “Anyway, I should get back inside. You have to get home before it gets dark.”

“Hey, I wanted to ask you something.” Kiera touched his arm gently as he turned to stop him.

Y/N felt his anxiety return. Nothing was going to get him out of this situation now and he took a deep breath. He smiled kindly, trying to put on the facade that he had no idea what was about to happen and he wasn’t going to have an anxiety attack.

“Would you…want to go out to dinner with me sometime?” She tilted her head in a way that would’ve been endearing or adorable to someone who wasn’t internally panicking. 

“Kiera…I appreciate the thought and you’re really incredible but…I’m not interested in you that way. You’re a great friend and that’s all I really see you as,” Y/N said, trying to break it to her as easily as possible. “I’m sorry, I just don’t feel the same as you do.”

“I thought…you were flirting with me all this time.” Kiera blushed in embarrassment and ducked her head sheepishly.

“Kiera, I don’t know how to tell you that I’m more interested in men than women and I was just being friendly.” He gave her a sympathetic smile, his heart still pounding against his rib cage.

“I had no idea you were gay.”

“It’s…not exactly that. I don’t have an _exact_ label or anything. Obviously, I have a kid so I’m interested in women but I feel more attracted to men,” Y/N explained, shrugging. “It’s just something that I’ve always felt, even when I was dating Angelica’s mother.”

“Well…I hope this doesn’t make things awkward between us.” Kiera laughed, rubbing the back of her neck.

“It won’t if you don’t make it.” He chuckled, the tension melting from his body. That went over way better than he thought it would and that let him relax. He hated creating issues in the workplace or causing discord between coworkers.

“God, I _totally_ misread everything. I feel so stupid, now.” Kiera shook her head, face still flushed. She laid her palm against her cheek, grimacing.

“Hey, don’t feel that way. It’s okay. I’m not exactly stereotypical and I have a biological kid, so I don’t blame you. But now you know.” Y/N reasoned, relieved that they were able to move on without issues. He didn’t want to lose her as a friend.

“You should’ve said something earlier!” She lightly socked his shoulder and it sent him into a new fit of laughter. 

“Okay, wait, I have a question for you,” He said through snickers.

“What is it?” Kiera playfully rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. She cocked her head with an arched brow.

“What was that whole 'See you Wednesday night’ stunt you pull in front of Bucky the other day?” Y/N asked, shoving his hand into his back pocket again and leaning his weight onto one leg. 

“Oh… _that_.” Kiera looked at the ground, biting her lip. She mumbled something that he didn’t quite catch.

“Sorry, what was that?” Y/N leaned forward with a teasing smile and raised brows as he did with Angelica when she was being stubborn.

“I saw the…him and…make…you were…” Kiera tried again a little louder but still mumbling.

“Don’t make me use my dad voice on you.” Y/N mock threatened and she huffed.

“I saw the way you looked at him and wanted to make him think you were taken.” She ducked her head sheepishly. “It was selfish and I was jealous…which is stupid, looking back on it.”

“Yeah, it kind of was.” Y/N chuckled, shaking his head. “I had to justify to him that I had _no_ idea what you were talking about.”

“Sorry, hon. I didn’t even think about it. Anyway, I should get going before it gets dark. See ya, Y/N.” Kiera squeezed his arm gently with a smile and started for the parking lot.

“Wait, what look?” Y/N called after her.

“You know _exactly_ what look!” She turned and grinned at him. “Have fun tonight! Don’t drink too much and keep your hands to yourself!”

“What look?!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

“The rules of the game are _simple_ , Tony. You have a word. Your teammate has to guess it. You can’t say those words. This isn’t rocket science,” Natasha explained, gesturing sharply to the card in her hand, leaned over part of the table to show Tony.

“No, this isn’t rocket science. I _get_ rocket science!” Tony grumbled, squinting at the rule pamphlet in his hands. They’d all had a few drinks by now and were a little tipsy, but Tony had gotten a head start before them and therefore was pretty far gone.

“Again, _why_ are we playing an intelligence-based game while you guys are slightly drunk?” Steve asked with an amused smile.

“It’ll be _fun_ , Steve,” Nat said, leaning back in her seat. “So, what’re our teams? Dibs on Steve.”

“Aw, shit. Don’t leave me with Barnes!” Sam complained.

“Actually, I’m callin’ Y/N as a teammate, so piss off, Wilson,” Bucky said from behind his glass before taking a drink of the whiskey inside. As a super soldier, he wasn’t really affected by alcohol anymore, which Sam had declared as unfair.

Y/N looked up in surprise as he’d not been paying attention to the bickering of Tony and Natasha. He’d just been waiting for someone to announce the game was starting while scrolling aimlessly on his phone.

“Why would either of you sober super soldiers not go for each other?” Tony waved his finger between Steve and Bucky. But since he was…a _little_ more intoxicated than everyone, sober super soldiers ran together and sounded more like _sober-per-solers._

“'Cause I studied English and Literature at University before enlisting and Y/N is our intel specialist who works with words all the time. He’s gotta have studied linguistics or something.” Bucky explained, shrugging nonchalantly. “And I wanna win. Obvious choice.”

“You studied English and literature? The _hell_ , man.” Sam shook his head. “Fine. Then I call Tony.”

“Fine by me. Wanda, that leaves you with Bruce.” Tony downed the rest of his drink and stood. “Get it all set up and ready to go. I’ll be back with another round.”

Nat rolled her eyes and shuffled the cards, telling Steve to pull the squeaker and timer out to get things put together. 

“How’d you know I studied linguistics in college?” Y/N asked Bucky, amused. He took a sip of water. He’d been splitting any of the alcohol he’d had with water or something else to keep himself a little on the sober side. Just in case something happened with Angelica and he needed to get to her.

“Figured since the higher intel analyst jobs require that you have a minor in linguistics or communication.” Bucky smiled, fingers tapping on the tabletop. “At least, from what I remember. So, we gonna kick their asses?”

“Hell yeah, we are.” Y/N snickered and pulled his chair closer to the table. “You didn’t happen to get telepathy along with your other abilities, did you?”

“Unfortunately, no. But I think that would be considered cheating, right?” Bucky ran his metal hand through his hair, looking very relaxed and at home in the current company. He lounged against the back of his chair, body language completely open as he chuckled at Sam’s arguing with Steve.

“Yeah, it totally would.” Y/N moved his cups out of the way as Tony returned so they wouldn’t accidentally get knocked over in a rage-induced outrage from someone.

“Okay! Y/N, Bucky. How about you two start?” Nat passed the box of cards to Y/N and the squeaker to Wanda. 

Y/N pulled a card and read over the words he couldn’t say, brow furrowed. This wouldn’t be easy, but that was the point of the game. He formed a plan in his mind and nodded. “Alright. I’m ready.”

“Three…two…one…go.” Sam flipped the timer over, indicating the start of the round.

“Where I went to school to get my degrees.” Y/N started, straightening up to show he was being serious about the game.

“What?” Bucky reeled back slightly in confusion, head tilted to the side.

“Ivy League, really high class.”

“Harvard.”

“The other one -”

“Stanford." 

Y/N drew another card. 

"Wait, seriously?” Sam asked, getting a confirmation nod from Tony.

“Yeah - I am an individual. I work in a sterile place.” Y/N winked before returning his focus to the task at hand.

“Nurse.” Bucky grinned as his teammate drew another card.

“My sister’s daughter would be my…” Y/N inclined his head to prompt Bucky.

“Niece.”

Tony whistled lowly, impressed by the pair. Everyone else was listening in stunned silence and Sam opened his mouth to protest the ease at which they were going through cards.

“He’s not slipping up,” Wanda muttered, cutting him off and shrugging.

“Usually when people go to church.” Y/N glanced at the timer, judging how many more they could get through before running out of time.

“Sunday,” Bucky said nonchalantly like he was discussing the weather on a lazy day. He didn’t seem at all concerned with the fact that there was a time constraint. 

“Russian is a…you know.” Y/N gestured to say fill in the blank.

“Language.”

Y/N chewed on his lip for a second as he thought about how to do the next card. He only had a moment to think as time was running out. “It’s something you use to peer at the sky.”

“Telescope.”

“Time!” Sam called. “Damn, we’re screwed if every round they play is like that." 

"So, team BuckY/N/N has six points right off the bat.” Bruce had been designated to keep track of the points because he was the soberest non-superhuman in the group and he’d be least likely to cheat. 

“Okay, hand it over. Let’s show them up, Steve.” Nat gestured for the cards and Y/N slid them over to her. 

“Good luck.” He sent her a wink before leaning back in his chair. The group chuckled and Natasha gave him a look that said it’s on.

At the end of the round, SteveNat had managed to get four words. SamTony, in their tipsy state, won two and skipped three. Branda were not as competitive, so they settled on three without much complaint.

“Ready, darlin’?” Bucky asked, pulling his first card and angling his body toward his teammate.

Y/N tried to write off the flush rising to his cheeks a product of the alcohol and not the way Bucky was smiling at him. “Go for it.”

Wanda counted down and flipped the timer while Sam slid closer to look over Bucky’s shoulder at the card.

“What Tony will inevitably become as the game goes on,” Bucky said, followed by an indignant cry from Tony.

“Cheater.” Y/N laughed, reaching for his water glass

“Not fair, Barnes! L/N!” Tony continued to protest as Bucky pulled the next card with a cocky smirk.

“One a day keeps the doctor away.”

“Apple." 

"Something that Steve will be full of in a few minutes.” Bucky’s clues seemed to be mostly made of jabs at their coworkers. All in good fun, of course.

“Salt.” Y/N was barely able to get the word out through his laughter.

“James Buchanan Barnes, you know what?” Steve looked like he was about to come across the table.

“I’ll tell you what once Y/N kicks your ass.” Bucky winks at Y/N and glances over the next card. “Didn’t this used to have cocaine in it?”

“Coca-Cola? Yeah.”

“Back in the day, we could either enlist or get…”

“Drafted. Draft!” Y/N glanced at the timer and turned his focus entirely on Bucky. 

“The opening song of Fiddler on the Roof." 

"Uh…wait, I know this…Tradition!” That earned both of them strange looks but Y/N brushed them off. Not his fault that they were both musical theater fans.

There were mere seconds left on the clock when Bucky pulled the next card. “My star,” He said.

“Five.” Wanda started to count down, really putting the pressure on.

“Uhm…” Y/N tried to decipher what Bucky was trying to tell him.

“Four.”

“You know this, darlin’.” It was hard to think when Bucky called him that, but he tried to focus on anything but the fluttering in his chest.

“Three.”

“On my arm. The star-”

“Two.” Wanda cut in, louder, with a grin.

“On my arm!”

“One.”

“Red!”

“Time!” Wanda called moments after he’d finished saying the word.

“Hell yeah, Y/N!” Bucky wrapped his arm around Y/N’s shoulders, pulling him in for a side hug. “I knew you could do it, darlin’.”

Y/N smiled and ducked his head slightly, looking at the other people at the table. He’d managed to get another six points for them. Which pushed them over the ten-point winning goal.

Nat was giving him a smirk from behind her wine glass, only offering a quirked brow as an explanation.

“You know what? I don’t even want to play another game unless Y/N suddenly gets shitfaced. As much as it pains me to say it, Bucky and Y/N win.” Tony grumbles, downing the rest of his bourbon in one go.

“Well, I think that calls it for me. This was fun, but I’m gonna head to bed.” Bruce stood, pushing his glasses on top of his head. A chorus of “good nights” followed and Wanda stood as well with a yawn.

“That about does it for me, too. Keeps it even if you guys play a different game. G'night.” Wanda smiled and grabbed the empty glasses from everyone who offered them to her. She received a round of “thank yous” and “good nights.”

“Why don’t we play Stupid Deaths?” Sam suggested, holding up the gravestone shaped box with a cartoon Grim Reaper on the front. 

Bucky removed his arm from around Y/N’s shoulder and helped collect the cards.

“Sounds interesting. Let’s do it.” Tony agreed, passing Natasha the hourglass and squeaker.

“I’m gonna go get something other than alcohol or water. I’ll be back.” Y/N announced, scooting his chair back. 

Once in the kitchen and on the other side of the wall, he was able to take a breath. He was only buzzed, now, the effects of the alcohol far less than it had been earlier. But the warmth in his face wasn’t from that. It was so easy to get lost in Bucky’s smile and the way he laughed. The way he called him darling like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Wait, what?

No, he shouldn’t be thinking about these things. That was just Bucky being Bucky. There was no need to spin in it. They were coworkers and friends and that was it. Nothing more, nothing less, and that wouldn’t change.

Y/N sighed and grabbed a bottle of Powerade. The compound never ran out of supply since everyone drank it. In a place full of superheroes, it was common to find the stuff that kept people energized and hydrated. But right now, it was just for a taste difference and something better than alcohol for Y/N.

He took a deep breath to steady himself and squash the sudden butterflies in his stomach. He was blaming it on the alcohol and not the fact that he was feeling a very tiny, minuscule, excruciatingly small crush towards Bucky Barnes. After a month or so of getting to know him little by little through casual conversations in the morning when Bucky brought Y/N’s favorite drink, he found that he really liked being around Bucky. 

Someone called his name from the table and he grinned.

“I’m coming! I’m coming!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

Y/N checked his phone briefly as he fell onto his bed. Nothing from Lillian, but there was a goodnight message from his daughter’s iPod. He responded with a smile and plugged his phone in before setting it on the nightstand.

He sighed and settled into his pillows. Oh, he’d have a headache in the morning but it was so worth it. He hadn’t been able to have fun with adults in almost nine years, and it was nice to have adult friends again.

His phone buzzed and he reached out to tilt the screen up.

Bucky: Hey, sorry for the late message but I just wanted to say that it was really fun having you with us tonight. :)

Y/N: It was really fun hanging out with you guys, too. I haven’t had adult friends in like…a long time

Bucky: Haha - it’s nice to see you finding your place. I think we made a pretty good team

Y/N: Even slightly drunk, we wiped the floor ;) 

Bucky: I’ll gladly wipe the floor with you anytime

Y/N blushed furiously and ignored the twisting in the pit of his stomach.

Y/N: Tell me where and when - I’m down anytime 

Bucky: Good to know ;) 

Bucky: I’ll let you get some sleep. Gnight

Y/N: Gnight, Buck

He silenced his phone and set it down again. Y/N snuggled into the blankets after flipping off the lamp. There was a small smile on his lips as he drifted off to sleep, a mix of the buzz of alcohol and the fuzzy feeling in his chest keeping him warm and content throughout the night.

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ … ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky offers to help Y/N take Peter Parker and Angelica out for the day since they've been causing chaos and getting into trouble. The hiking trail behind the compound seems like the perfect place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was way delayed posting this here. If you don't follow my tumblr (itskateak), then you wouldn't be caught up on the short break I took.  
> My best friend was hospitalized for pneumonia, ketoacidosis, undiagnosed diabetes, and an infection in his heart. Things got really, really bad for a few days and I was not mentally able to do much for that time.   
> He's home and doing great! Already making jokes about being to hell and back, dying, etc. since he technically died for three minutes before doctors yanked his ass back into the real world.  
>  So I'm back in the swing of doing things again. I'm doing fine, if you were worried! I had a great support network and I spoke with my therapist during it. Humor is just how we cope in situations like that :)

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

Y/N checked his messages quickly, head tilted as he waited for it to update. Over weekends, he decided to work three hours each day to make sure nothing important and time-sensitive came in. He was close to the end of those three hours, which wasn't eventful at any point. Just low-level information relating to other movements that he'd already taken note of earlier that week.

He watched the few messages come in and glanced over them. Nothing seemed to be important other than Gamora saying that they would be stopping by to drop off Peter Quill for a recovery period. Something about an injury he gained through his own stupidity. He responded with a confirmation and said that Monday afternoon would be best since the landing strip would be clear.

"Do you have a minute?" Bucky called from the doorway. He smiled, but it looked a little forced. His posture was closed off and he looked physically tense.

"Always. What's up?" Y/N pushed away from his desk and closed the programs on his screen since he didn't need them anymore.

"Uh...I'm kind of...having an anxiety attack or something." Bucky said though it sounded more like he was questioning himself. He ducked his head sheepishly for a moment. "And Steve and Sam are not here and I dunno what to do."

"Oh. Okay." Y/N was taken by surprise for a moment. "Uh, come on in. Let's see if we can calm you down."

Bucky nodded and sat rigidly on the edge of the couch, his arms wrapping around his stomach. His fingers bunched up the fabric of his shirt and he gasped suddenly. He cracked a slight smile and snorted. "Didn't realize I was holding my breath."

"Breathing's important, Bucky. Do you know what set this off?" Y/N asked, pulling his chair up to the side of his desk and giving his full attention to Bucky.

"Loud noise. Not even sure what it was. It took me off-guard and...then I fell off the obstacle course." Bucky grimaced and took a deep breath, his eyes closing for a moment. "I...have a fear of fallin'. Ever since I fell off the train."

"Is it the height or the feeling of falling itself?" 

"The feel. I hate it." Bucky wrinkled his nose up in disgust. "I can still remember the feeling of my stomach in my throat."

"Hey, don't think about that. No need to get yourself even more worked up." Y/N paused, trying to find a random question to distract him with for a little bit. Maybe taking his mind off the things causing him anxiety would help calm him down. "Tell me about something Steve did in school. Did he ever get into big trouble?"

"Oh, yeah. This one time - it was like sixth grade, I think - he nearly got us suspended for a week. Johnny Sarsburg, a boy in our class who picked on Stevie for being short, was this tall and burly kid. Real jerk of a guy." Bucky moved his arms and laced his hands together. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. "One day, Steve got fed up with all the nicknames. Shorty Stevie, Munchkin Man...they went on and on. So, Stevie stood up to him. Thank  _ God  _ I was there, though."

" _ Don't  _ tell me he tried to kick this kid's ass." 

"He tried to kick the kid's ass." Bucky nodded with a tone full of disappointed frustration.

"Oh, no." Y/N snickered behind his hand. 

"So, it was recess and Johnny came up to us. Stevie tried to hide behind me for a second, but I shoved him away. Johnny started picking at him and picking at him. Steve straightened up and clenched his fists, looked Johnny in the eye, and said: I may be short, but I'll always be a bigger man than you." Bucky laughed, breaking out into a smile for the first time. He ran a hand through his hair. 

"He  _ didn't! _ " Y/N could see Steve Rogers, the man who had no regard for his own personal safety and hated bullies, doing something so ridiculous but just so... _ Steve _ .

"He did! Johnny didn't like that so much, so he cocked back his fist and came at Steve. Stevie  _ tried _ to fight back, but he really wasn't a fighter back then. Just looking at a running track could make him break into an asthma attack and thinking about lifting a book could've snapped his spine."

Y/N snickered, shaking his head. Bucky was looking far more relaxed than he did when he came in. His shoulders weren't rigid and he wasn't gasping for breath. Though, it looked like his hands were slightly trembling still. "So, how'd it turn out?"

"At some point, I grabbed Steve around the waist and tried to haul him away. But Johnny didn't like  _ that _ either, so he went after me. Now, I was a bit of a troublemaker so I knew how to fight. I wasn't lookin' to get into trouble, but Stevie had dragged me into a mess. Had to clean it up, like I do now." Bucky winked and chuckled. "The teachers had to come break it up and we had to explain what happened. Johnny was suspended for a week and our parents said they'd punish us at home, so we got off easy." 

"Even at home?"

"Oh, no. My dad was pissed and Stevie's mother almost hung him out with the laundry. But at least we weren't suspended like Johnny was." He leaned back against the couch and sighed. "Did you just distract me?"

"Maaaaybe. How're you feeling?" Y/N laughed and checked the clock. His time was up which meant the rest of the day was his to do whatever he wanted.

"Better. Not like I'm choking on my own air, at least. I'm still wired, though." Bucky held his right hand up to show how it was still shaking a bit.

"Wanda told me about a hiking trail behind the compound. We could go check that out and get Peter and Angelica outside for a bit. If you're up for that, of course." Y/N offered. He secretly hoped Bucky would take him up on the offer. He wanted the chance to talk to him more when they were both completely sober.

"That sounds...great, actually. Besides, I don't think you could wrangle both of them on your own." He said with a teasing lilt and stood. "I'll find Peter and meet you downstairs."

"I need to shut my computers down first." Y/N pushed his chair back and moved his mouse to wake his monitors. "If you find my kid before I do, send her my way."

"Roger that."

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

Peter was walking a few feet ahead with Angelica on his back, bouncing her every so often to make her squeal and laugh. There was a light breeze rustling through the branches of the trees, which were providing the right amount of shade from the late autumn sun. The weather was that perfect balance of warm and cool. Just right for a light jacket. The trail wasn't well used, evidence provided by the undergrowth creeping along the edges of the path, threatening to overtake it. 

Y/N and Bucky were casually talking as they followed the kids. The conversation flowed easily between them like they'd been friends for years. 

"So, she's how old, again?" Bucky asked, hitching his chin toward Angelica.

"Eight. Nine next Wednesday." Y/N smiled wistfully, watching his daughter shoot a bright smile at him over her shoulder. He'd been so afraid that this move would've negatively affected her and caused her to be miserable. But she had never looked happier or carefree. She'd always been a solemn little girl with many worries on her shoulders.

"She's growin' fast, huh?" Bucky smiled, too, shaking his head as another loud squeal floated back to them.

"Too fast. She's always gonna be my little girl, though." Y/N glanced up as a couple of birds flitted from one tree to the next. "I'm glad she's happy here and finding her place. She doesn't say it, but I know she feels like an outsider sometimes."

"Why's that?" Bucky asked, sinking his hands into his pockets.

"I know she feels out of place among friends a lot. The fact her mother isn't around and she doesn't have a second parent...some kids can be really mean about that." He sighed. "And it's not like that's  _ her _ fault. But she feels that way and I don't know how to help her."

"Why would she think it's her fault?" Bucky stepped closer as if he knew the topic needed to be kept quieter to not disturb the girl a few feet ahead.

"I don't know where she got the idea, honestly. Her mother  _ did _ leave a note when she left and part of the reason she left...well, Angelica wasn't exactly planned." Y/N muttered the last part to make sure it didn't reach his kid. He loved her, he really did. At first, he'd been terrified at the prospect of being a father when he wasn't ready. But the moment he held that little girl in his arms, he was smitten. "And her mother said some...nasty things in the letter about her."

"I can't imagine how that would've been for you." Bucky gave a sympathetic grimace. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"No, it's okay. I don't talk about it much because it's in the past and we're doing great without that woman." He shrugged and smiled. "I kept the letter, though, as precautionary measures in case she ever decides to come back and fight for custody. I doubt that would happen, really, but the court system is so messed up and might not rule in favor of  _ me _ despite the fact I've raised her."

"If a court of law can see how much you love that kid and how much she loves you and is happy with you and still not let her stay with you, then I might have to return to my vigilante days." Bucky joked, though he sounded and looked serious.

"Bucky, no."

"I'd do it."

"I know, but no." Y/N laughed and shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I think an appeal would work better."

"Okay, you have a point," Bucky said. "So, I've never asked but what got you on the team? Steve didn't tell me and Stark won't because he's still mad about game night five months ago."

"I caught four embezzlers in the compound by hacking into the hidden servers that keep backups of pretty much everything, even if it's been wiped from the main servers. I would've gotten away with it if I hadn't tripped the single silent alarm monitored by FRIDAY. Tony promoted me shortly after I handed the information over to Grace Stevens in accounting." Y/N explained with a smile. "I thought I was fired or being thrown in jail. Those were the most terrifying few minutes of my life."

Bucky whistled. "That's impressive. Even Nat couldn't get through Stark's security lines to retrieve deleted footage of him drunkenly singing karaoke in his lab."

"I might have to go digging for that to earn a favor from Nat." Y/N took his phone out and made a reminder, causing Bucky to start laughing. His eyes crinkled up at the corners with his bright smile. "Oh, Pete, be careful! That might be slippery!"

Peter was halfway across the large fallen tree trunk over the moderately moving river. He turned his head to listen to Y/N and nodded, shifting his grip on Angelica. He moved slower then, watching his footing to make sure they didn't fall.

"So, we're gonna cross that?" Bucky asked, eyeing the log warily. Falling _.  _ He hates falling _. _ _ That's right _ , Y/N thought. Of course, he'd be uncomfortable with something like this because he might fall.

"I guess. Wanda said there's lakeside access across the river and down the path." Y/N stopped at the tree, watching to make sure the kids made it across safely. He trusted Peter, considering the kid was a literal superhero and gymnast, but he was also a dad and his Dad Instincts were kicking in. "You gonna be okay with crossing?"

"If I don't fall, I will," Bucky forced a smile, but Y/N could see the anxiety behind it. 

"Here, take my hand. We'll cross together and we'll go slow. I'll make sure you won't fall." Y/N held his hand out to Bucky and tried his best to ignore the small jolt of electricity that shot through his veins when Bucky accepted it. "Come on."

"If I fall, I'm dragging you with me," Bucky said with a joking tone, but there was a shake to his voice as he stepped onto the log after the man holding his hand.

"Valid." Y/N snorted before focusing on where he was putting his feet. He couldn't slip and risk giving Bucky a heart attack. He was trusting him to get him across this river safely. "If you need to stop at any point, just tell me and we can."

"Nope. Just keep moving even if I start to freeze up because if I stop, I won't move again." Bucky was able to flash a quick lopsided smile even though he was doing something that ultimately terrified him. 

"You got this, Bucky!" Angelica shouted from the other side, bouncing on her feet like a highly-caffeinated bouncy ball. "You're almost there!"

Y/N grinned to himself. Leave it to his kid to become a cheerleader for them without even knowing that Bucky really needed that encouragement. He swore his daughter had supernatural abilities of knowing what someone needed when they needed it. When she was much younger, there had been nights where he was stressed about making ends meet and she would crawl into his lap and hug him tightly until he forgot what was bothering him.

Lost in thought for just the brief moment spelled ruin for him. His foot slipped on a wet spot and he lost his balance.

Bucky grabbed his arm and pulled him back, keeping him steady until he regained his footing. He chuckled. "Jeez, Y/N. I thought you'd be saving  _ me _ from falling and not the other way around."

"You're lucky I'm nice 'cause I would've just shoved you off this log and let you wash down the river." Y/N retorted though he couldn't keep his expression stern and a smile broke out. "So, that spot's slippery. Be careful."

"Oh, I was just planning to plant my foot on it and run the rest of the way." Bucky teased, appearing way more at ease than Y/N expected he would. Maybe that's what happens when someone has to save their non-fearful friend from falling.

Once they were on the other side and on solid ground, there was a pause of silence between everyone before they all burst into laughter.

"Mr. Barnes, your face when Mr. L/N slipped! You were so surprised!" Peter bent over, trying to catch his breath. 

"Y/N, I thought you were a goner for a moment. And if I hadn't already had a hand on you, I probably would've just let you fall." Bucky was barely able to speak through his laughter, smile so wide his eyes were crinkled up. 

"Oh, I see how it is!" Y/N acted offended. "See if I ever team with you on game nights again."

"Ooh, he's serious." Angelica giggled, wiping tears from her eyes. 

"I'm sorry, Y/N but I was  _ not _ risking falling just to save you if I hadn't already had your hand." Bucky took deep breaths, also wiping his face with his jacket sleeve. 

"What happened to till the end of the line?" Peter asked, taking deep breaths. 

"That's a me and Steve thing. And even then, I'd just let his dumbass fall." Bucky winced. "Sorry, language."

Angelica grinned broadly with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Oh, don't worry. Papa swears a  _ lot _ more than you might think. He thinks I don't hear him mutter things under his breath, but I do."

"You little snitch!" Y/N exclaimed. "I can't believe you!"

"Oh no...Angelica, we gotta go!" Peter scooped Angelica up and dashed down the trail. Y/N started to give chase but slowed down as they turned the bend. 

Bucky followed at a slower pace, shaking his head in amusement. He caught up to the father who was straightening his jacket. "You're not going after them?"

"Nah. I just made them think there was an actual threat. They'll probably get all the way to the lake before they realize I'm not actually chasing them." Y/N grinned. "So, want to tell me about that game night five months ago?"

"It started when Nat brought vodka back from a mission in Russia and decided not to tell us it was hundred-proof..."

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ 

"Hey, Buck. How's your day?" Sam asked as he entered the training room with a towel around his neck and a water bottle in hand. "Sorry that Steve and I dipped on you."

"Don't worry about it. It's alright," Bucky grunted before setting down the set of weights he'd been lifting. "My day was pretty good. Except when Stark accidentally set off an explosion in the lab while I was running the obstacle course. Scared the hell out of me and then I fell off."

"Shit, man. You okay?" Sam placed his water bottle and towel on a bench near Bucky. "I know you don't like falling and loud noises so that just seems brutal."

"My adrenaline kept it low but I still started to freak out after I cleaned up." He admitted before taking a drink of his own water and using his shirt to wipe some of the sweat from his forehead. "Y/N helped me out with that."

"You went to Y/N? Why not Bruce or Wanda? Hell, even Nat?" Sam arched his brow and there was a hint of something behind his eyes.

"Dunno. He's nice, ya know? I figured he'd have some experience with that kind of stuff. Having a kid would teach you how to calm someone down when they're freaking out and I've seen him chill Angelica out faster than she could even process why she was upset." Bucky said, sitting down on a bench to give himself a break. He'd been in the training room for an hour already and it was about time to take a breather. "After that, we took Angelica and Pete out on that hiking trail Wanda found just to get them outside since they were causing trouble and everyone needed a break."

"Hey, as long as you found a way to calm down and not have a panic attack, I won't knock it. Happy for you, man. You're doing really good recently." Sam started to set up the machine he liked to use.  _ Can't have a tree without the trunk, you know what I'm saying _ ? Sometimes Bucky really didn't like Sam, but he was a great friend and great company when he wasn't being an annoying shit. But then again,  _ he _ could be an annoying shit when he wanted to be. "Proud of you, man. Long road, but you're sticking with us."

"Yeah, yeah. Save the sappy shit, would you?" Bucky leaned his head back against the wall, taking deep breaths. "The hike was nice. Though Y/N almost fell off the log when we were crossing the river. I caught him before he did, but if he hadn't been holding my hand, I would've let him fall."

"You told him about your issue with falling?" Sam straddled the bench and rested his forearms on his thighs. "Dude, it took you like eight months to tell me about that and he's been here four months."

"Don't take it personally, Wilson." Bucky shrugged with a smile. "He's just got that calming feel to him. He's easy to trust and he's just really nice."

"And you were tellin' me to quit with the sappy shit? Do you hear yourself?" Sam cracked a smile as well. "I like Y/N, too. He's a good fit for the team."

Bucky nodded, agreeing. There had been something missing in the team dynamic for a while that no one could quite name or place, but Y/N and his kid had certainly brought it. The game night had really shown some of Y/N's full personality away from his daughter, though Bucky liked having Angelica around a lot. She was bubbly and sweet and brought a little bit of light on his bad days.

But Y/N...Y/N was just so thoughtful and selfless. It was obvious when he'd walked into his office that Y/N had no idea how to help him and was taken aback, but he'd helped him anyway. He showed genuine interest in the story Bucky had been telling him and even invited him along to an outing. They hadn't exactly hung out outside of the team nights and work hours. It was nice and he liked the idea of getting to see Y/N more often out of that stuff.

"Wait, don't tell me...Barnes, do you have a crush on Y/N?" Sam asked with a cocky grin.

"What? No!" Bucky said far too quickly, his face starting to flush. He was lucky he was already a little red from training, but Sam knew otherwise. His grin widened.

"You totally do!"

Bucky went to defend himself again but he sighed and turned his head away while Sam started to snicker. "Fine. Maybe I do a little."

"Man, I didn't take you for one to like guys," Sam said.

"Is...that an issue?" Bucky asked warily, his heart starting to flutter in his chest. For most of his life, he'd shoved that part of him aside and hidden it. Sure, he fooled around with a couple of guys in the forties but it never went very far. And war made people do desperate things. But he was worried that even now, he'd have to keep that part of him tucked away and ignore it.

"Hell, no. My best friend in college was the most flamboyant gay guy I've ever met. Smart as a whip and a beautiful musician. I don't give a shit, but I don't wanna hear about all the details. And that goes for women, too. That stays private, man." Sam wrinkled his nose up and it made Bucky chuckle. "I don't know how it was back then, but people are a lot more accepting now than they were. They legalized same-sex marriage a few years back. And if anyone gives you shit about it, I'll kick their asses."

"Thanks, Sam. That means a lot." Bucky smiled. "But if you tell  _ anyone _ that I have a thing for Y/N, I'll kick you off the helicarrier again."

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	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y/N starts to feel something a little more than friendly for one of his friends and his daughter picks up on it immediately. To get her to keep quiet, he takes her out to the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I make a sudden executive decision for some SteveNat? Yes, yes I did.

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Y/N rolled over and blindly reached for his phone to turn off his alarm. Mornings were not as early as they had been but he still didn't like them. At least he didn't have far to go and could delay as late as possible. His bed was far too comfortable and he really didn't want to get up. The shrill tone finally shut off as he hit snooze and laid back down, his phone still in hand. He wanted just those few more minutes. His eyes closed and he started to fall back to sleep.

That was until Angelica jumped and landed on his back like a sandbag, knocking the wind out of him and waking him up. He wheezed and tried his best to catch his breath.

"Why?" Y/N hissed between his teeth as best as he could. "Angelica...off, please."

"Sorry, papa!" Angelica giggled and pushed up off him, letting him breathed finally. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, other than my broken spine and cracked ribs." He joked, rolling onto his back. "Morning, baby. Happy birthday."

"Morning!" She smiled brightly, her hair a mess around her face. She was nine, now. Nine years since his little girl had come into this world and stolen his heart. 

"You seem excited to go back to school." He opened his phone and turned off his alarms now that he was completely awake, thanks to his kid. "Why's that?"

"We're having a field trip tomorrow! Mr. Hollis is finally revealing where we're going today." She bounced a little, her smile widening. 

"Oh, I bet that's going to be fun." Y/N knew where they were going - the permission slip and emails gave it away, but the kids still didn't know. Tony Stark had invited the class to tour the compound and interview a few of the Avengers for their semester project. It was in connection to the research project they had done earlier in the year. "I can tell you're not excited at all."

"Papa." Angelica groaned and flopped onto her back. "Come on, get up! Nat made breakfast this morning and it smells  _ so  _ good."

"Why didn't you just go and eat without me?" He asked, shoving off the covers and standing. He stretched his back out and yawned.

"Nat wouldn't let me. She said you had to join us." Angelica rolled off, barely catching herself on her feet before she fell face-first on the floor. 

Y/N shook his head. "Okay, okay. Tell her I'm on my way. Just let me get dressed and ready for the day."

Angelica beamed and sprinted out of the room, leaving the door open. He sighed and closed it on his way to the bathroom. His daughter wasn't always one to wake him like that, opting to let him do what he needs to in the mornings. Something was different about this. Something suspicious. Maybe that was just him overthinking things. 

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Y/N smiled at everyone as he entered the common room. "Okay, I'm here. Breakfast can be served." 

"Yes!  _ Finally _ ! I've been smellin' this for hours." Sam shot up from his seat and slid into the kitchen. He almost slipped going around the corner because of his socks. 

Wanda followed slower, shaking her head. "The guys will be back from their run soon. Best serve up now before the super soldiers get their hands on it."

"And Sam didn't join them?" Y/N teased, entering the kitchen. The smell of pancakes and waffles filled the air. It made his stomach clench and alert him that he was hungrier than he realized. A huge plate of bacon sat on the island and he stole a piece, ignoring the way Nat waved her spatula at him.

"Nah," Sam said around a mouthful of omelet. "If I wanted a chance to win a race, I'd go bet on horses."

"And even then, you'd still lose." Steve was smiling as he came into the room, sweat covering his face and chest. It was an oddly warm day for the midst of Autumn, so he'd gone out without a shirt. "Smells great, Nat." 

"Thanks, Steve. Didja have fun, boys?" Nat asked from her position frying more eggs. Steve leaned down to kiss her temple but she shoved him away. "Ew, no. You're all sweaty!"

"I'm glad we have our own track, finally, instead of running aimlessly in the woods." Steve opened the fridge and grabbed a water bottle, tossing one to Bucky as he passed through the doorframe. Y/N grabbed a piece of toast and a butter knife.

Bucky's hair was pulled back into a low bun, strands that had escaped stuck to his forehead with sweat. He was still breathing fairly heavily and gave a grateful nod to his best friend before downing half the bottle. His tanktop was held in a ball in his left hand. 

Y/N froze, staring at him for a few moments. There were scars around his prosthetic arm, raised and jagged like bolts of lightning. A few scars traced other parts of his chest and stomach, newer than the ones on his shoulder. He seemed...comfortable standing there like that. He smiled and laughed at something Sam said - something Y/N didn't hear.

"Papa." Angelica elbowed his hip with a low whisper. "You're staring."

Y/N snapped himself out of his trance and turned away to hide how his face was heating up. He didn't want it to be obvious that he'd been staring in a very...non-straight way at one of his friends, let alone his coworker. He met his daughter's gaze and gave her a warning glance.

Angelica was giving him a smile that could only be described as  _ shit-eating _ . She opened her mouth to say something - probably to tease him - but he shoved the piece of toast he'd been preparing into her mouth to quiet her. 

"If you don't say a word right now, I'll take you to the library later." He leaned down and whispered. She happily munched on the toast, eyes twinkling with mischief. 

"Deal." Angelica extended her hand to make it official. Y/N shook her hand and straightened back up, purposefully focusing on making another piece of toast.

"So, what's the special occasion for this huge breakfast?" Sam asked.

"It's Angelica's birthday!" Nat, Steve, Bucky, and Wanda all exclaimed at the same time. The girl in question started giggling loudly as Sam slapped his forehead. 

"How could I forget! Forgive me, Angelica. I can't believe I forgot it was your ninth birthday." Sam rushed around the counter and picked her up, making her squeal. He spun her around, singing happy birthday off-key and way too loudly for the morning.

Bucky pressed his shirt against his mouth, wiping away some of the sweat. "I'm going to go get cleaned up before I get any food. I feel gross."

Y/N smiled at him briefly before turning to focus on the plate he was fixing for his daughter and  _ not _ a shirtless Bucky. 

He missed the smug smile Nat was giving his daughter and the high-five the ex-assassin gave the little girl when she passed to move to the dining room.

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"Papa, can you be completely and totally, one- _ hundred _ percent honest with me?" Angelica asked from the backseat in a tone that sounded incredibly innocent but he knew better. She was his kid, after all.

"I'm always completely and totally, one- _ hundred _ percent honest with you." Y/N glanced at her in the rear-view mirror before merging into the right lane of the highway. 

"Do you like Bucky?" She sweetly inquired like she  _ totally  _ didn't have any ulterior motive.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Y/N turned the music down a touch so they weren't shouting at each other over the upbeat pop song. He didn't know all the words to it anymore as it had been a couple of years since he'd listened to it almost religiously. He'd liked the artist but had fallen away from listening to her music when his interests shifted. And when his daughter started taking over his aux cord. 

"No, Papa. I mean do you  _ like _ like him." Angelica wiggled her eyebrows at him in the mirror. She was barely containing her mischief.

"And what do you mean by that?" He tried to keep his expression neutral. He knew  _ exactly _ what she was implying, having heard her talk with her friends in the exact same manner over their crushes. But he wasn't going to play into her game at all.

"Like do you  _ like _ like him? Like you want to  _ kiss  _ him and get  _ married _ ?" She exaggerated some of her words in a long-drawn-out way, grinning wider with every passing second.

"I can turn this car around, Angelica. I thought the deal was you wouldn't say a word about it?" He tried to look stern but the fact his face was starting to flush completely ruined that.

"No, the deal was that I wouldn't say a word about it  _ then _ . It's different  _ now _ because we're alone. Besides, you can't turn around right now. It's the  _ highway _ ." Angelica smugly crossed her arms. "You said you'd be completely and totally, one _ -hundred _ percent honest with me. Did you lie?"

Y/N stayed quiet, glancing back at her and her smug little grin. He sighed and merged to the left lane to pass a slower car. "I don't lie to you, Angel."

"Then answer the question! You're avoiding it which means you have somethin' to hide. That's abstraction of justice!" She accused, pointing her finger at him in the mirror.

"First of all, it's  _ obstruction  _ of justice. Second, this isn't an interrogation or anything remotely legal and therefore I don't  _ have _ to answer the question. And finally, who taught you that?" Y/N finally started to smile, breaking his facade of being perfectly composed. 

"I don' have to talk without my console." She folded her arms again, turning her head to look out the window. "Snitches don't get cookies."

"Again, it's counsel. And technically it's a lawyer that you don't speak without, but really it would be  _ me _ you couldn't speak without. Since you're a minor, they'd have to have me present or social services." He explained, merging right again to be in the right place to later take an exit. Of all the conversations he expected to have today, explaining the legal process of interviews with a minor was not one of them. "Nat taught you that, didn't she?"

"No, it was Clint when he was visiting the other day. Nat was there, though." She giggled before sitting up straight and turning serious again. "You still haven't answered the question!"

"I invoke my fifth amendment rights," Y/N said, turning onto the exit to take him into Manhattan proper. They had a membership to a couple of the libraries around the city, but they always preferred the most well-known one. It was closest to Pop's Shoppe, the ice cream parlor they always went to after their library run.

"And what does that mean?"

"I have the right to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination." He explained further and stopped at a red light. He shot her a sly grin before the light turned green.

"That's not a real thing," Angelica said in a sassy tone. She stuck her tongue out at him and he returned it. "You're making it up."

"Really? Alright, then prove me wrong. When we get to the library, go ask the librarian for a copy of the Bill of Rights and ask them to explain the fifth amendment in terms that you'd easily understand." Y/N pulled into their usual parking garage and found a spot. "If I'm wrong, then I'll buy you four scoops of ice cream. If I'm right, you get the usual two. Deal?"

"Hmmm....deal!" She unbuckled and extended her hand up between the seats, grinning determinedly. She shook his hand and collected the books she was going to return.

Y/N smiled to himself. 

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"I can't believe that's an actual thing," Angelica muttered, dejectedly stabbing her spoon into her mint chocolate chip ice cream. "I thought you were lying."

"Nope. I don't think you've reached the grade where you start talking about that, so I didn't expect you to know that off the top of your head. But you were so confident that I was lying that I had to take the opportunity." Y/N chuckled before taking a bite of his own ice cream. He preferred Pop's bubblegum flavor because it tasted like the kind he used to chew back in his childhood. "You know I love you."

"Sure." 

"Aw, what's wrong Angelica? You don't like my ice cream?" Pop called from the counter with a smile. He was a round old man with soft features. He was the kind that would be expected to play Santa Claus around the holiday season. His cheeks were always rosy and his nose was rounded. His light blue eyes always were alight with love and humor. 

"I lost a bet to Papa." She wrinkled her nose up. "Wait, you totally distracted me! You used me against me!"

Y/N started to laugh, leaning back in the booth. So, she'd figured out what he'd done. Angelica had a good trait that could also be used against her. She loved a challenge, especially an academic one. If she didn't know something and he brought it up, she wanted to know everything she could about it. Her passion for learning was insatiable. 

Pop chuckled and rounded the counter, grabbing one of the chairs from a table. He'd owned this ice cream parlor for twenty years and hand-made his ice cream each day. He sat down at the edge of the table with a warm smile. 

"Well, how about I make it up to you with something special?" Pop asked, glancing at Y/N to check that it was okay. He pulled a small card out from his pocket and slid it across the table to the little girl. "Next time you two come in, your entire order is free. Happy Birthday, Angelica."

"Thank you so much!" Angelica bounced in the seat a little, beaming from ear to ear. "Wait, Papa! Could we bring  _ Bucky _ with us next time?" That glitter of mischief was back as she fixed her sight on her father.

"Bucky? Who is this?" Pop glanced between the two as Y/N started to flush again.

"You're a little devil, you know that?" He hissed between his teeth at his kid. "Bucky's a friend of mine from work. Angelica likes him a lot."

"So do  _ you _ ." Angelica wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and he sighed.

"Oh, do I sense a spark? When I met my Leana, I knew immediately that she was the one for me. Even if people said we weren't good for each other and tried to get in our way." Pop smiled fondly. His wife worked around the shop often, but she'd recently been sick and was taking a break to completely heal and recover. She was a gentle and kind black woman who called everyone in the shop  _ honeybee. _ "I'm glad people nowadays are more open and accepting than they were. So, tell me about this Bucky fellow."

"He's got a bionic arm and it's so cool!" Angelica said before Y/N could even open his mouth. "He's super nice and kind and a lot of people are scared of him because of things he did in the past, but he's one of the softest people I've ever met."

"Bucky was the Winter Soldier." Y/N clarified, waiting for the inevitable disdain. Even if Pop was a progressive old man, he was still human and humans had a healthy fear of other humans who had easily taken the lives of others. "He's been an Avenger for a year or so officially."

"Ah, James Barnes. I didn't realize that people called him Bucky. Why is that, I wonder?" Pop asked.

"His middle name is Buchanan and Steve Rogers started calling him Bucky when they first met because James was too formal and Buchanan was even worse," Angelica explained, rattling off her project's information. 

"You know quite a bit about him, don't you, Miss Angelica?" Pop smiled wider. He always listened intently to whatever Angelica wanted to talk about and asked the right questions to keep her going. 

"I did a project on him and - Oh! Papa, I forgot to tell you where we're going for our field trip!" Angelica suddenly turned back to her father. "We're coming to the compound to have a tour and talk to some of the Avengers!"

"Oh, really? Did Tony invite you guys?" Y/N feigned surprise, which made Pop start to chuckle. 

"Yeah! Which, I think this was set up before we moved in. But Mr. Hollis said that I didn't even need to come to school tomorrow! I can just stay home and meet up with my class when they show up since it's an all-day trip." Angelica explained before shoveling a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"So, which Avengers are you talking to?" Pop asked, pulling a few napkins from his apron and setting them on the table.

"All of us have a group number and we rotate through Tony, Nat, Steve, Bruce, Wanda and Vision, and Sam and Bucky. Well, there's one more person but they said it was a surprise of who it is. Even Tony didn't tell Mr. Hollis who it was." Angelica wiped her face to avoid dribbling any ice cream on the table or herself.

"It's probably going to be Quill since he's medically grounded at the moment after an injury. But you didn't hear that from me." Y/N winked and stood to throw away his empty bowl and spoon. "Other than that, I have no idea."

"But you still haven't answered my question, Papa.  _ Can _ we bring Bucky next time?" Angelica circled back, sending a secret glance at Pop. 

"You have to ask Bucky that yourself, kiddo. Now, finish up. We need to get you home to finish your homework." Y/N returned to the booth and pulled his keys from his pocket. "I think Sam got his act together and got out to find a gift for you. Nat texted me a minute ago saying that they have cake for you."

"Cake?!" Angelica's eyes lit up and she beamed. 

"Well, I'll let you two get on home. I hope you do bring that Bucky fellow around sometime." Pop replaced the chair at its proper table and winked at Y/N. "Happy Birthday, Angelica. Leanna sends her best wishes, too."

"Thanks, Pop! Tell Leanna I say hi and I hope to see her soon!" Angelica threw away her trash and grabbed her father's arm. "Come on! Nat has cake!"

"Bye, Pop. See you next week. Maybe we'll have a friend!" Y/N was practically dragged out the door by his daughter, waving back and the shop owner. 

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Y/N was working quietly the next day in his office when a knock at his door startled him. He looked up, seeing Kiera standing with a group of six children. He recognized them as some of Angelica's classmates.

"Hi, Kiera. What's...going on?" He asked, standing to be seen over his monitors. 

"Oh, Mr. Stark didn't tell you?" Kiera looked surprised and a tad anxious, glancing at the children. "You're the mystery Avenger they're getting to interview."

"No, Tony didn't...tell me a thing. Uh, give me two minutes to make sure there's nothing confidential on my screens, and then we can just...do whatever it is we're supposed to do." Y/N minimized the programs on his screen and closed his notebooks. He pulled his desk chair around to the edge of the desk and motioned for the students to come in. "Uh, hi. Sorry if I seem completely disorganized. Tony didn't warn me about this. So...I am completely disorganized."

Kiera led the kids in and gestured for them to sit on the couch. "We have twenty minutes before the groups rotate." She explained, moving to stand near the wall.

"And which group is my kid in?" He asked, reaching for his favorite drink. It was still warm from that morning when Bucky dropped it off. It had been six months since their deal had started and unless he was on a mission, he'd never failed to deliver a drink every morning.

"Last one. It's supposed to be a surprise for her." Kiera glanced at her watch and set a timer. "Alright, everyone. Our time starts...now."

"Okay! Uh...My name is Y/N L/N and I'm the intelligence specialist for the Avengers. My job is to scan all incoming messages and underground chatter to see if anything requires the Avengers' attention. Most of it is related to the remnants of Hydra and similar organizations. I also exchange communications with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor, and Carol Danvers when they're off-planet. I'm also Angelica's dad. So, now that that's out of the way." Y/N introduced himself. This had been sprung on him suddenly so he was still switching into Public Speaking Mode. "First question?"

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End file.
